A year in life
by CatchingStar
Summary: Twelve situations, one for each month, involving two of out favorites characters in CSI. Read and review, please.
1. January

_The idea was to write one situation for each month of the year - during a period of 1 year - involving Catherine and Sara. I can't really say this idea came from me because it would be a lie but I did send the author a note to ask if i could give it a try :)_

**Spoilers from the episode "Crash and Burn", season three.  
Csi characters are not mine, i just borrowed them for fun. **

*

Sara entered the car and let her head fall on the seat. How could she be so stupid? How could she believe that Hank actually liked her and wanted to be with her, when in fact he was only using her? Of course Sara knew where her heart belongs but she really thought she could have fun and maybe forget her impossible love. What an idiot!

_Sara noticed a small framed photograph of Elaine, one of the women that got hurt in the case she was working on with Catherine and Warrick - an elderly woman who drove her car through the window of a bar crowded with people - and Hank, Sara's actual boyfriend, on the table in the middle of the living room. _

_Sara picked up the frame and it was clear that the two people weren't merely friends._

_Elaine looks at the picture as smiles at Sara. "My boyfriend" she chuckles "I saved up my miles and took him to Hawaii last year. He's going to take me to Tahiti in a few weeks" she said with a full smile. _

_Trying not to sound so hurt about this Sara smiled. __"Thank you. Um, I-I have to get back to the lab. Um, maybe you could call me". Elaine nodded and watched Sara leave in confusion._

But worse then knowing that Hank was using her was that did a completely full of herself in front of Catherine. The blonde noticed something was wrong just by looking at the screen. Catherine would probable thinking very low about her, something that Sara always tried to prevent from happening.

Sara signed and turned on the engineer. She didn't want to face Catherine after acting like a morrow but she knew she had to. She had a case to solve, a job she loves and is good at it, and the woman she is madly in love with working there. Be without Catherine would be worse then everything else.

Sara walked on the room and Catherine looked at her, asking how everything was. The brunette knew it was useless to pretend that everything was ok to Catherine. the blonde is to good at reading people and has a lot of experience in the dating things, two things that Sara isn't, but at the same time Sara didn't want to talk about it, especially now. So she responded the minimum Catherine needed to know.

They continue working together, without talking about what really happened in Elaine's house, though Catherine had a few ideas about how everything went. It actually hurt her that Sara didn't trust in her enough to talk about this. She liked Sara, more then the brunette thought she did and she, of all people, knew how bad it feels to be cheated. She has been there more then once.

Catherine and Sara exited the interrogation room after talking with Corey, the grandson of the primary victim.

It turns out that Diane Lambert – the old lady - had glaucoma, and knowing that she couldn't file an appeal in order to receive her treatment, since the institute hadn't officially denied her claim, Miss Lambert provoked the car accident and by doing that leaving an amount of money for her grandson, who would receive it from the life insurance policy. Unfortunately, Corey won't see any money because the insurance policy doesn't apply in cases of suicide.

"I feel bad for the boy. He really loved his grandmother and didn't care about the money at all." said Catherine, feeling completely drained by this case and her own feelings for Sara. Sara looked at her and nodded before she noticed Hank in the hallway, probably waiting for her. Catherine notice too and looked at her with a smile "I'll meet you at the car" She walks down the hallway and Hank turns to talk to Sara.

"I called the lab. They said you were here" he says uncomfortably "I heard you met Elaine" he swallows.

"Yeah, she's really something" she says forcing a smile. "I didn't tell her about us, if that's what you're wondering". She thought about giving him some slack but the last part of her sentence made him know how hurt she was.

"I'm really sorry, Sara"

"Yeah me too" she says looking to the floor.

"I don't know what else to say".

"How about I'll see you around?" Sara walked out of the police department and to the car without waiting for an answer without looking back. What a situation! She climbed inside the vehicle and put the seatbelt on.

"You got plans?" the blonde asks not wanting to leave Sara alone in a hard time like this.

"Nope" Sara answered

"You want to get a beer?" Sara turned to look at Catherine and the blonde smiled at her. They were both tired, but apparently the blonde really wanted to be there for Sara. Sara turned and looked straight ahead, a little smirk appearing on her face.

"Drive"

Catherine drove them to a pub that Catherine often frequents. And to Sara's amusement, it was a gay club.

"I hope this place is ok. I thought you wouldn't want to see men in front of you right now" she says unlocking the seatbelt and looking at Sara.

"Well, I would be a total hypocrite if I said I don't like places like this" the brunette says getting out of the car. Catherine stared at her, completely stunned.

"_Did she just say…" _her thoughts are interrupted by Sara's voice.

"Aren't you coming?" she asks with a full gap toothed smile.

"_She seem__s a lot better and not like a girl who just broke up with her boyfriend minutes ago" _Catherine thinks as she's stepping out of the car. They entered the bar and soon founded empty spots close to the bar.

"What can I get you two ladies?" asks the girl behind the bar.

"Two beers and some peanuts"

"Peanuts?" asks Sara finding that quite amusing.

"What? I don't like to drink on an empty stomach. Do you?"

"No, but to me it wouldn't be the first time, really"

"Do you drink a lot?" the blonde asks sitting on the bench.

"I'm not an alcoholic if that's what you are asking" she answers defensively, resting both arms on the bar.

"No, no, I didn't say you were" says Catherine, trying not to mess things up between them. "I was just trying to start a conversation, I'm sorry" Sara looked at her surprised. It turns out that Catherine had never apologized to her before, especially so fast.

"I know when it is time for me to stop drinking, but I definitely enjoy a cold beer" she says smiling to the blonde. Catherine smiles back and nods. "Tell me, why are you being so nice to me?"

"Can't I be nice to you?"

"You can, and I like being here, I was just wondering what the actual reasons were. I hope pity isn't one of them" she says laughing nervously.

"In part it is" Catherine says with a sorry smile. Sara, who was hoping Catherine wouldn't say that let her face fall and nods in understanding. "I'm really sorry about what happened. Hank is an asshole for cheating on you"

"He was cheating on her, not me" Sara says seriously.

"Still, he was using you and that is something no one should do with another person. Besides, I know how it is to find out that the person you like has another woman"

"Eddie?"

"'A pregnant woman doesn't have flexibility' he said. And he was right"

"But that doesn't give him the right to cheat on you" answered Sara angry. _That bastard! He should never hurt Catherine, ever!_

"I know" Sara looked at her drink and then at the wall.

For a while they just drink in silence until Sara finds the courage to speak again "I would be lying if I said that Hank was the first man to do something like that to me" she whispers. Catherine looks at her surprised at her honesty.

"Who else did that to you? Grissom?"

"No!" Sara answered laughing. "I have never been with Grissom romantically and I doubt he would have the courage to do that to any woman"

Catherine laughs at her stupid question "Yeah, you are probably right"

"I like when you laugh" Sara confesses. The comment was so unexpected that Catherine stopped laughing right away and looked at Sara, blinking in confusion. "Your face gets all shinning and you show your beautiful smile, it is cute" she completes, blushing in the end.

"I like when you laugh too" Sara looked at her like saying 'yeah, right'. "I do. Now tell me, who is it then?" Sara takes a long sip from her drink before putting it back on the bar. She knew Catherine would ask that.

"_I have been honest with her so I probable should answer that one. I just hope she doesn't leave me her after knowing this. Ok, here it goes. And God help me"_

"My father" she says looking at Catherine. The blonde's eyes and mouth open in shock. Sara smiles shortly and stares at the glass. "He… raped me when I was a kid, more then once and well, that's a lot worse than Hank using me" The knowledge that Sara's father assaulted her in this brutal way left Catherine speechless. Of course she knew something bad had happened in Sara's past because she would always get emotional in certain cases, but she thought Sara's mother was abused, not her.

"I have to say, I'm impressed that I actually answered your question" the brunette says smiling and resting her back on the bar.

Catherine knows she is uncomfortable but at least she is still here. "Why do you say that?"

"I don't speak about my father with anyone, not even my partners. It's not something people like to know about and it surely isn't something I like to remember".

"I understand. So why are you telling me now?"

"I don't really know. I guess you made me trust you by asking me to come here and for not saying 'I told you so' about Hank, though I know you really want to..."

"I would never say 'I told you so'" Sara started laughing and Catherine looked at her confused.

"You just did" Catherine put a hand on her mouth and started laughing as well. "I'm sorry. I can't believe I let myself fall for that one"

"Welcome to the club" Said Sara smiling her gap toothed smile. For a brief second, Catherine couldn't take her eyes off of the brunette's lips, like she was trying very hard not to kiss Sara. The blonde smiled shyly and looked back at her drink. Sara notice everything and her hands touch the blonde's back slowly, making the blonde shiver and a smile appear on her face. Maybe she still had a chance with the blonde.

"So, how's Lindsey? Sara asks trying to re-start the conversation. "Does she still have problems in school?"

"She is doing better. But I have to say, I never thought she could fight with someone" Sara nodded, understanding.

For almost one hour, the girls talked about Lindsey, movies, bands, what kind of places they want to travel to, everything that crossed their mind at the time. And it was great. Both of them were very relaxed and smiling most of the time.

"I can't believe we've never done something like this" Sara says at some point.

"You mean talking?"

"Yeah, I always wanted us to at least be friends but well, things didn't work out so great"

"I know, and a huge part of that is my fault, I… didn't want you to get too close"

"Can I ask why?" Sara asks feeling hurt by the blonde's words and looking at nowhere but at the blonde.

"Well, I always like to be in control of my emotions, my temper, and with you… with you I don't have any control at all. You are the only one who can get under my skin, Sara, by doing absolutely nothing, and that's not something I'm used to feeling"

"I understand"

"But I like you, Sara, more then you think, and I would really like it if we became girlfriends. Or like you said, to at least be friends" When Catherine's words registered in Sara's mind it made the brunette look at Catherine with a big smile on her face. Catherine couldn't believe she had actually said that and today of all days.

"So you…" she tries to speak but the feeling that maybe she does have a chance with the blonde doesn't let her think properly. Catherine blushed and nodded. "Then why…"

"It's safer to be with guys, because I know I won't fall in love with them"

"But Eddie…"

"I liked him. He opened my eyes to dancing and we had a lot of fun but that was it, a lot of fun" Sara nodded understanding. "If you didn't like hank why'd you date him?"

"I needed someone to make me feel wanted, even for a while. I was tired of being alone and I thought the one I wanted wasn't available"

"So you…" Catherine imitated Sara's question. Sara looked at her and did just like Catherine, blush and nod. "I never thought you would like me, especially after all the shit I pull you through"

"I would never pick a fight with you Catherine if I didn't care about you or what you had to say to me and about me. I would just ignore you, simple as that" Catherine thought about that for a while and nodded in agreement. She would have done the same thing if she didn't care or liked Sara so much. "But I can't, I like you too much and there is nothing I can do to make me stop liking you"

"Yeah, me too"

"I would like myself if I were you too" says Sara laughing. Catherine was about to make a remark on Sara because she hated when the brunette gave her a smart ass attitude but stopped when she saw the genuine smile on Sara's face and something in her eyes, love and caring.

"_Maybe we can play without wanting to take each other heads of" _Catherine though to herself before relaxing and laughing as well.

"That was very good, Sidle. Very good indeed" Sara smiled and planted a quick kiss on Catherine's cheeks.

"Can you take me to lab so I can get my car? I really need some rest right now"

"Sure. I'm surprised that you didn't ask that before"

"What can I say, I love your company"

Catherine face blushed like a tomato and she paid off for the drinks and peanuts, after all, she was the one who invited.

"Thank you, for everything" the brunette says after getting out of the car and stopping in front of Catherine's window.

"You're welcome" says the blonde smiling. "See you later" Sara nodded but before the blonde could leave Sara planted a kiss on the corner of Catherine's lips. Catherine was about to turn and get a real kiss when Sara stepped away.

"Good night" the brunette said going to her car. She was feeling surpresily happy at that moment. She had lost a boyfriend but she won, not only a chance to talk to Catherine and to show a little of her real feelings, but the known that Catherine liked her back. Maybe now things would turn out ok for them.

Catherine watched the brunette with a smile. She wasn't actually angry, she was feeling… thrilled by the kiss and the possibilities that were created after something so bad happen. But the next time she wasn't going to let Sara step away before she repeated the gesture and kiss her too.

**tbc**


	2. February

Catherine had finished processing the evidence for her case, a suspicious circ., and only needed to file the report before she could finally be out of the lab. She couldn't wait to go and be with Sara again. It was hard to be away from the brunette for such long time. Catherine opened her office door - that she didn't know that she had shut - she noticed a beautiful bouquet of flowers in the middle of her desk. A little smirk appeared in her face as she walked closer to her desk and touched the paper wrapped around the flowers. She picked up the bouquet carefully and closed her eyes, smelling the wonderful aroma of the azaleas.

"Someone must really like you" said a voice at the door. Catherine looked to the door hoping the person was her love, but instead she saw Sofia with a smile on her lips. She tried to hide her disappointment by looking back to the bouquet. Sara was working with Grissom on some murder case in the desert and they hadn't seen each other since the shift started and God she missed Sara. She missed Sara every single day they weren't together. "Do you know what it means?" asked Sofia bringing her back from her internal suffering.

"Do you?" the detective nodded letting herself in.

"It means 'be mine'"

"And how would you know that?" asks Catherine with an eyebrow up.

"I'm sure you can think of a way for me to know it" she asnwers with a smirk "Now, tell me, who's the lucky guy?"

"Aren't you being a bit to curious, Curtis?"

"Oh come on, it is a fair question and look, there is a card too" she said picking it up before Catherine could. "'Guess from whom'" read Sofia at loud. While Catherine smiled internally at the three little words that meant everything to her, Sofia didn't seem very amused. "Whoever sent you these doesn't have a nice sense of humor"

"Or it's just a private person, like I am" Catherine answered taking the card from the other woman's hands.

"I bet the guys are going to do whatever it takes to find out who your secret admirer is" Sofia jokes

"This is none of their, or your, damn business Curtis. I would really appreciate it if you could respect that and keep your mouth shut!"

The detective raises both hands in the air "Jeez Cat, you don't need to shout like that, I was just joking"

"You'd better be! Now, is there something you need from me, or were you just being a gossip?"

"Actually, I was looking for Nick, have you seen him?"

"He is probably in the garage with Warrick"

"Ok, thanks for tip. See you later!"

Catherine didn't even pay attention to the blonde's last words as she looked back to the beautiful flowers that Sara had sent to her. The brunette always knew how to surprise her, sometimes with gestures, other times with touches or looks and now flowers, something that Catherine loves to receive. Sitting in her chair Catherine saw another card, well hidden inside the flowers. She smiled and picked up the white paper.

"_For years I have searched, in vain, for someone to be with. Someone I could share everything without being afraid to show them who I really am. My life, my thoughts, my deepest secrets, and my love and now I can honestly say: I found it. _

_Catherine, you brought all the joy and hope back into my heart and made me the happiest person in the world. I know it sounds cliché but it is true, babe, it really is. Thank you for giving me the chance to be with you as a friend, a confidant, and a lover. I promise never disappoint you_

_Happy Valentine's Day, honey. Yours, S". _

"I know you won't babe, I trust you with everything I am and everything I have, always" she said out loud.

She touched Sara's handwriting one last time before hiding the card in her drawer. Now she had something special from the brunette and every time she felt the need to be closer to Sara and couldn't, not physically anyway, she would read Sara's words and know that she, not Sara, was the happiest person in the world.

Deciding to leave the report to be filed in the next shift, Catherine picked up her bouquet and went to the locker room to grab the rest of her stuff.

Getting at Sara's complex building, Catherine ran to the front desk and smiled to the doormen. "Hey Charlie"

"Hi Miss Willows. It's been a long time since I last saw you here. Hope everything is ok in the paradise" the comment made Catherine smile.

"Yes Charlie, everything is ok" According to Sara, Charlie was the doormen since like forever and he knew about their relationship.

"Good because I like both of you. You two form a beautiful couple"

"Thanks Charlie" she said touching his left arm.

"Miss Sidle left this key for you"

"So she is not here yet?" asks Catherine disappointed

"I can't say for sure Miss Willows. I just got here"

"Oh, ok, thanks Charlie"

"Bye Miss Willows. Have fun"

Catherine let herself in and was surprised at seeing the breakfast table was already arranged in the middle of the living room, very well decorated, with lots of fruits, breads and flowers on it. '_She is such a romantic'_ Catherine thought to herself. Her smile got bigger as she heard the shower being turned on. She walked to the bathroom trying not to make a sound and opened the door slowly. As she entered she felt two arms wrapping around her waist from behind.

"I was wondering when you'd show up" said the brunette kissing the exposed skin on her shoulder.

"You could have called me and I would've been here sooner" said Catherine smiling to Sara's reflection in the mirror, a very naked Sara actually. Sara continued kissing the blonde's shoulder as her hands worked to open Catherine's shirt and remove it from her body. "Why did you left the key if you already here?"

"I left before going to work in case you got here before me and I forgor to pick" she replied. Sara pushed Catherine's belt off, almost in one motion, making Catherine whimper and smile. Opening the blonde's pants slowly, Sara slides her hand travelling above the panties instead of under it. Catherine's hips moved to encounter with Sara's hand but she found nothing. Looking behind her she saw Sara kneeled behind her to take her boots off, and then slid her hands over Catherine's ass sliding her pants down. Catherine stepped out of the garment and threw it away. Sara stopped to admire the beauty in front of her

"See something you like?" asked the blonde.

"You have no idea" she whispered biting Catherine's ear lob. Catherine felt her panties going wet with desire and turned around closing her arms around Sara's neck. "Hey, I didn't finish my task yet" said Sara. Catherine smiled at her childish voice but didn't care about that, only about kissing Sara's soft lips.

Hands caressed each others back as their tongues performed a very slow and sensual dance. It was clear for both of them how much they had missed each other or how much love they actually felt. Without taking her eyes from Sara's, Catherine took her own bra and panties off. Sara's eyes flew open in admiration and the brunette bit her lips to keep from moaning.

Catherine jumped out of the water as the hot water fell on her white, sensitive skin.

"I'm sorry, babe; I got a little distracted when someone came in here" explained Sara with a satisfied grin.

"Of course you did" Catherine smiled.

"Is the temperature ok?"

"It's perfect" she said smiling and reaching for Sara's hands "Thank you for the bouquet and the card, I love it"

"Good, but still I have another gift for you after breakfast"

"You don't have to give me anything, Sara"

"But I want to" said Sara in desperation. Catherine's left eyebrow went up and Sara looked away from her, blushing "I never cared about Valentine's Day before but now that I'm with you I'm so happy that I want to celebrate. I want to give you flowers and so many other things for you to know how special you are, Catherine Willows"

"If it's so important for you to do that, then I am more then ok with it, but I… I didn't bring you anything…"

"It's ok, Cat, I don't need any gifts. I have you" The words left Sara mouth so fast and without thinking that Catehrine knew it was true.

"If you don't stop saying all these beautiful things I'll want to cry, again, and I hate crying"

"When did you want to cry?"

"When I was reading your card..." answered Catherine with a duh face. Sara still didn't seemed to understand "Sara, that card was the most beautiful thing someone ever wrote to me. No, I mean it" she emphasized seeing that the brunette didn't believe her. "Eddie never wrote me a card, not even a simple note, and the only way he showed me how much he liked me was by taking me to bed, which happened very frequently"

"Eddie was a total idiot, Cat"

"I know, but for a long time I truly loved him. Or I thought I loved him" Sara nodded in understanding despite the fact that she didn't like Catherine's ex-husband, not even for a bit and she didn't have to know about the cheating or everything, she just had to look at his face to know he wasn't trustable.

"Let's not think about him, ok?" Sara said noticing that Catherine was giving a lot of thought about Eddie. "He isn't worthy, babe. We are" she whispered connecting their lips once again. Catherine smiled into the kiss and pulled Sara's body closer. Sara moaned as Catherine tongue force entry in her mouth, not that she would ever complain because kissing Catherine was simply amazing.

Not satisfied with the simple touch, Sara pressed Catherine's body against the wall with hers. The water falling on the brunette's back. She looked at the blonde, silently questioning if she could go further. Catherine rested her head on the wall and smiled a yes. Sara smiled back and watched as her hand traveled across Catherine's body and disappeared between the blonde's legs. The feeling was overwhelming, making both of them moan in appreciation. Sara brushed one finger against Catherine's centre slowly as her mouth worked on Catherine's torso, kissing, licking and sucking Catherine's hard nipples.

Despite what she was doing, Sara made sure she was looking at Catherine every chance she could as she brought Catherine closer and closer to the edge. Catherine, on her part, really wanted to keep her eyes open, wanted to see the glowing in Sara's eyes, the love in each caress, but the feelings were so powerful that she just couldn't, she had to let herself go in the sensation and into bliss.

Slowly the blonde came back to her senses after the best orgasms she ever had. Sara grabbed the soap and started washing Catherine's body, no words spoken. When it was Catherine's turn to do it, Sara let her do it with one condition: no sex. She was more than satisfied with what they shared. "You are no funny" Catherine whispered.

"No, but you love me anyway"

"You damn right I do"

They dried each other bodies before Sara went to pick out two pairs of clothes.

"Thanks" said Catherine accepting the clothes. "If you need a hand with the water bill this month…"

"I'll pretend you didn't say that, Cat"

"We did waste a lot of water on this shower, Sara"

"Are you saying you didn't enjoy any of the three orgasms I gave you?" Sara asked showing the number three with her fingers. Catherine moved her head as a no, feeling her cheeks burning. "I thought so, now, let's eat because I'm starving"

"After what you did I think is fair to say I'm the one who's famished" the blonde said laughing. Sara's lips formed in a smile and the two went to the living room.

The brunette fed her with a little of everything: croissants, fruits, mini sandwiches and the only thing Catherine had to do was chew. The first time the blonde tried to pick something by her Sara stopped her with a hard slap on her hand -f Sara continued treating the blonde like that, Catherine will become very, very fresh.

After they finished, Sara got the second gift. Catherine looked at her and back to the gift, ripping the paper almost in one motion. Catherine eyes started watering as she saw a golden pendent with two blue diamonds.

"This is beautiful, Sara. You are beautiful" she completed, hugging the brunette tight before looking back to her present.

"May I?" Sara suddenly asked, pointing at the box.

"If you insist," she sighed, but smiled nonetheless, giving Sara the jewelry box which she took gratefully.

"I knew they would match your eyes," she exclaimed happily. "I was hoping that the color would be the perfect match for your eyes' color - and they are. Blue looks fantastic on you" Catherine flushed a bit and coughed slightly to hide her embarrassment.

"I now feel like the worse girlfriend ever for not giving you anything" Catherine said looking from the pendent to Sara but before the brunette could say anything the blonde completed "I want to" A shy smile appeared on Sara's lips as she closed the distance between them.

"You want to go out and buy it now?" asked Sara between kisses. "It is still Valentine's day"

"Tempting but no. I prefer being here right now, kissing you. But I promise I'll by something tomorrow" Sara nodded touching their nose. Catherine giggled before searching for the brunette's lips. "Besides, I think is my turn to touch you and make you scream"


	3. March

Catherine entered the pub and searched for the brunette. It was Sara's night off and they had agreed to meet at this place after Catherine's shift. It has been a long week and they really needed a distraction. A smile appeared on the blonde's lips as she saw her woman sitting in the back of the room. She walked through the crowd and was stopped by some guy.

"Hi there, can I buy you a drink?"

"No, thank you"

"Just one and I promise you I don't bite"

"I appreciate it, but I have someone waiting for me" Catherine pointed.

"Is she your friend?"

"Girlfriend"

"A woman as beautiful as yourself, who can probably have any person that you want, decided to date some chick over a real man?" he asked, laughing. "Are you sure she can fulfill all of your needs?" He stepped closer. Catherine smirked. This guy really should keep his mouth shut.

"Not only that, she is way better then every guy I ever dated" whispered Catherine against his ear.

"Maybe you didn't find the right guy yet"

"_You mean you?"_ Catherine's mind screamed. "Let me tell you something…"

"Michael"

"Michael, right, if you really want a girl and not some whore you should let them come looking for you, ok? And try not to talk so much too" Catherine walked away from the guys laughing.

As she got closer to the brunette she noticed that Sara wasn't alone. Another brunette was talking enthusiastically about something and touching Sara's arms or thigh every now and then. Catherine grinded her teeth as jealousy and possession took control over her.

Sara felt someone's eyes on her and turned around. A smile appeared as she saw it was her lover, she was here. She got up from the bench and kissed the blonde.

"I was starting to get worried" she said happily. Catherine looked from the other brunette to Sara and answered.

"Greg wanted to talk about something from our case and it took longer then I intended. I'm sorry" Sara nodded and grabbed Catherine's hand.

"Cat, this is Jennifer. Jennifer, this is the woman I was talking about"

"I thought Sara always preferred brunettes"

"Jennifer is a friend of mine from Berkeley" explained Sara staring serious at her friend.

"Really, and you two bumped to each other tonight?" asked Catherine, ignoring the other woman's words. Sara knew better about the smile Catherine gave her, but before she could answer, Jennifer did.

"Actually she called me"

"Jen"

"What? It's true"

"Jen lives in San Francisco, Cat. She took some time off from work at the university and decided to come to Vegas. When she said she was in town I thought it was a good opportunity to introduce you to one my best friends in college. I don't know why she is behaving like that"

"_I do_" Catherine thought to herself.

"Can I get you anything, dear?" asked the bartender to Catherine.

"I think I want what she's having, please" Catherine pointed to Sara's glass.

"Ok, I'll be right back"

"Stop it! It won't work!" Sara silently said to her friend as Catherine talked to the bartender. Seeing her lover smiling at her, the brunette smiled back.

"So, what do you do at Berkeley, Jennifer?" Catherine asked, making herself comfortable between Sara's legs.

"I teach there"

"What do you teach?"

"Astrophysics"

"Astrophysics" repeated the blonde quite amused, actually.

"We deal with the physics of the universe, including luminosity, density, temperature, and chemical composition of celestial objects. As well as their interactions" Catherine opened her mouth in a 'oh' not actually liking the way Jennifer talked. She wasn't any idiot.

"Sounds interesting"

"It is. You have no idea how much we can learn watching the universe, and the stars too. Do you remember that night, Sara, when we lay down on the ground for hours and saw lots of shooting stars? It was beautiful and we had a lot of fun"

"Yes, it was beautiful and I really miss watching the stars but with our work is kind of hard. Maybe we should go the planetarium some day Cat, and take Lindsey, what do you think?" said Sara smiling to the blonde.

"Who is Lindsey?" asked jennifer before Catherine could speak.

"My daughter"

"You have a daughter? How old is she?"

"Thirteen"

Jennifer mouth gag open. "Wow. I would never think that Sara here would choose someone who has a daughter. She always said she hated kids"

"I fell in love with the little girl when I first saw her around the lab. I didn't know she was Catherine's daughter, not at first, anyway, but we became friends and I would do anything for that girl" Catherine heart melted at the words of her lover and looked at her with glowing eyes. Sara blinked one eye and hugged Catherine even harder.

"What other surprises do you have for me, sugar?"

"I told you that I don't like when you call me that " Said Sara vehement, giving Jennifer another warning look.

"Ok, ok, you don't need to shout, it just slipped".

"_I knew they were more than just friends__! I knew it! __But if she thinks she can have my girlfriend she is very, very wrong"_ thought Catherine.

For forty minutes they talked about how Sara behaved in college from the first years to the last one. Catherine didn't know Sara actually had fun while studying to be the best of her class. That she liked parties and that sometimes she got really drunk.

Every time they could, Jennifer would say something to provoke Catherine and Catherine would answer just the same way. She didn't like the girl and definely didn't like to be provoked. Most of the time Sara would try to stay calm down but as time passed it was getting harder and harder to be that person. This was not what she had in mind of a night with her lover and her best friend.

They talked about James, Luke, and Ryan, her other best friends and all the things they did to find her a date. They seemed just like Greg, Warrick, and Nick respectively. So it wasn't just coincidence that Sara was their friends since day one.

"We were inseparable" said Sara squeezing Catherine's belly. Catherine noticed the nostalgia behind her words and squeezed her lover's hand softy "Do you know what they are doing now?"

"I know Luke is working with his father on some research, don't know what it's about, and Ryan got married and has two kids, a boy and a girl"

"He always liked to take care of us, so I'm sure he's an excellent father"

"It's been weeks since I last talked to them. Why don't you give them a call? They'll be very happy to hear from you"

"I think I will. To be honest, since I got transferred to Vegas the only thing I do is work. Well not anymore, but you know what I mean" Said the brunette not looking to Jennifer but to Catherine. The blonde saw the tensed body from Jennifer's part and smiled internally.

"What about you, Jen, do you have a partner or a family?"

"I'm single, but you probably knew that already" Jennifer answered staring at the blonde. "It's kind of hard having a baby when you are a lesbian and I wouldn't like to raise someone else's kid inside of me"

"You can adopt a child too"

"Nah, babe it's not my thing"

"That's too bad. They can really change people and their temper. That and there is the fact they are very cute"

"You really think you are funny, don't you?"

"I'm not trying to be funny"

"Of course not, my bad, you are just a bitch"

"Ok, that's enough!" said Sara getting off the bench, and in doing so, pushed Catherine away. "If you guys can't talk like normal people fine, but I'll not stay here and see the two people I love the most and who I wanted to be friends do that! I'm done!"

She didn't care which one started this shit just that they didn't stop. They kept provoking each other, over and over again, and not for one moment did either of them think about Sara. How she would feel seeing those two cut each others throat, and that was something that Sara never expected coming from them. She opened the back door of the pub and left without looking back.

"Look what you did!" shouted jennifer getting up from the bench.

"Oh no, you don't" said Catherine grabbing Jennifer's arms "You stay here and I am going to fix this. You did enough damage already"

"If you think you can make Sara happy by talking to her, you really don't know Sara" Jennifer shouted.

"No, you are the one who doesn't know her" said Catherine pointing a finger at Jennifer's face. "She is a very sensitive person and the thing she wants the most is someone to go after her when she is hurt. She will fight with you, get angry, and even scream, but if you can't fight back, make her open up with you because you love her then you don't deserve being with her in the first place. Do yourself, and us, a favor, go home and stay away from her"

Catherine walked out to the parking lot looking for Sara's car but the only black SUV in the lot was her own. Shit! This was not how she wanted the night to be and the fact that Sara was so hurt about it, it hurt her too. Looking around, she saw the brunette sitting on the bench across the street.

Sara stepped back to give space for Catherine to take a seat. They didn't say a word for a while. Catherine just waited for Sara to say something, like she did the other times Sara got hurt. Realizing she wasn't going to speak first, Catherine did it.

"I'm sorry." Sara looked away shaking her head up and down as she was saying 'of course you do' ironically "When I got there and I saw she was trying to get you I didn't like it"

"But you could have trusted me and my feeling for you, but no, instead you decided that I would just dump you and be with Jennifer. Do you really think I would have asked you two to come here if I wanted to hurt you both?"

"No"

"Of course not!"

"But I didn't like it" Sara signed frustated.

"Why didn't you ask to leave then? I would have walked away with you. You know that"

"I thought you wouldn't like to go"

"And I would like to watch you two constantly bitching at each other instead?" asked Sara not believing in the blonde. "I know people always like to have their love fighting with some other person because it shows how much you love her, but when the other person is someone you care about, it is horrible. It only hurts you and if the two don't even notice that you are hurt, it's even worse."

"I'm sorry. I should have known better" Sara nodded, holding the bench.

"Can you take me home, please? I use a cab"

"Of course, do you want me to stay there?"

"I think I'd prefer to be alone right now, if it's ok with you"

"Okay. I understand" said the blonde pretty sad about the situation and worse by the fact that Sara dismissed her, without thinking twice.

Catherine and Sara both got up and walked to Catherine's car. Before the blonde entered Sara grabbed Catherine's hand stopping her. She pulled Catherine's head toward her and kissed her, long and deep. When Sara stopped Catherine still waited for more.

"I love you Catherine and I won't trade you for anything or anyone, ever." said the brunette when Catherine opened her eyes. "Don't ever doubt that, ok?" she asked really meaning the words she spoke. When Catherine nodded with a smile Sara smiled back and kissed her once again, quickly. Sara walked to the passenger side and the blonde drove away.

It was supposed to be a good night but instead it was a night that Sara really wanted to forget.


	4. April

Sara looked outside the window and smiled as seeing a light on at the second floor, Catherine bathroom actually, where the blonde was probable finishing her make-up. Even after being dating the blonde for four months, she still felt butterflies in her stomach, her heart beating faster inside her chest, and hands all sweating just like the first time they went out in a date.

"Sir, could you please wait for me here? I won't be long"

"Sure mam, no problem" said the cab driver with a smile.

He seemed a really nice guy, fifth years old or so, but with no white hair. Sara would have tried talking to him if she wasn't so nervous about tonight.

She walked to the front door, resting a hand above her stomach. Stopping at the door, she took the two tickets out front her pocket and smiled. She had arranged two seats for a show on the Belina Concert **Hall and s**he hoped Catherine will enjoy the music like she does. Putting the ticked back where they were, she raised her hand and knocked.

The light was turned on at the living room startling Sara. She looked at her outfit one last time before the door opened, revealing Catherine in all her glory. The blonde was wearing a black dress and her hair was curly, falling perfect on her shoulders. Catherine blushed as Sara's eyes travel her body from head to toe.

"It still amazes me that I can make Catherine Willows blush" whispered Sara, stepping closer and kissing her on the cheeks "And I love every single time" she completed. Catherine looked away, blushing ever harder with the comment. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah, um, just give me a minute" said Catherine turning to the stairs "Honey, can you come down here for a second, please?" she screamed.

"Coming mom" screamed Lindsey in reply. "What is it?"

"I'm going out now. Are you sure you'll be ok on your own, awhile waiting for Grams to come?"

"I'll be fine mom, just go and have fun ok? Hey Sara, you look beautiful"

"Thank you Lindsey"

"Ok then, and don't forget to…"

"To check the door and windows after Grams get here and don't go to bed after midnight, it's not like I have fine anymore mom so you don't have to repeat every time you are going out"

"I'm sorry if I don't want anything bad happening to you" Catherine said kissing her daughter's hair.

"You don't have to do that either" said Lindsey seriously. Catherine looked at Sara who seemed too amused with the all situation to take one side on this matter. "You both have fun and don't do anything stupid, ok?" Lindsey said before running upstairs.

**"****Bye Lindsey" waved Sara hoping the girl would see. Catherine picked her purse and locked the door behind them. "She is quite a figure"**

"Yeah she is. She is right about one thing… You look beautiful".

"If I look beautiful, you look stunning… spectacular" Sara said kissing the blonde's cheek. They walked to the car hand in hand and Sara opened the back door for them and gave the address to the driver.

"What are we going to watch?" asked Catherine breaking the silence.

"Have you ever heard a band named "The Corrs"?"

"Hum, not that I remember… what do they play?"

"Is a family singer, being three sisters and one brother. They play both Irish songs and rock."

"I think I have heard a song or two but I don't know the lyrics"

"They came for a three night's tour in Vegas and this is the last one"

"How did you manage to get the tickets?"

"Well, I know a guy who knows a guy and so on… But if you don't wanna go it is fine, we can just…"

"No, no, I want to go" interrupted Catherine putting a hand on Sara's thigh. Sara let go the breathing she didn't know she was holding and smiled. "I was just being curious, that's all. I love when we go out together" she smiles to reassure the brunette.

The rest of the drive was made in a comfortable silence, with Catherine's hand still on the brunette's thigh. Not that Sara was complaining. Sara paid the driver even against Catherine's will, because she wanted to buy half of the price, and they walked to the Concert Hall.

"You sure we are not late?" Catherine asked seeing too many people at the lounge.

"No, we are right on time, come on" said Sara grabbing Catherine hand and smiling like a teenager. She gave the tickets to a man using a tuxedo and they walk to their seats. They have lucky to be at the left side of the audience, almost in the middle, in a place were no ones head would block their view.

Catherine kissed Sara before the light went off and the show begun. They both turned their attention to the stage and blond watched fascinated as they sign beautiful and very romantic songs. But the singer weren't the only thing t that fascinated her, it was the woman sitting beside her, she was signing practically every song in a perfect tune.

"You really love them, don't you?" whispered Catherine, making Sara's shiver. Catherine smiled back and turned her head to the stage. "What is the name of the one playing violin?"

"Sharon, she is the older sister. She is great, isn't she?"

"She seems so free but so controlled at the same time… I wish I had her talent"

"I don't know Cat, I don't think I would want you in any other way" whispered Sara like it was the most natural thing to say. Catherine looked at her with a genuine smile. If the light was on, Sara would probable see the glowing in her blue eyes. "The woman in the vocals is Andrea" said the brunette "the guy on right - at the guitar - his name is Jim and the woman at the drums, is Caroline"

"I thought the guy would be the one at the drums not her, but she is really good" Sara nodded in agreement as the same time as Andrea started signing another one, called "All the love in the world".

_I'm not looking for someone to talk to  
I've got my friends, I'm more than okay  
I've got more than a girl could wish for  
I live my dreams, but it's no__t all they say_

Still I believe  
I'm missing something real  
I need someone who really sees me  
Don't want to wake up alone anymore  
Still believing you'll walk through my door  
All I need is to know it's for sure  
Then I'll give all the love in the world

I've often wondered if love's an illusion  
Just to get you through the loneliest days  
I can't criticize it, I had no hesitations  
My imagination just stole me away

Still I believe  
I'm missing something real  
I need someone who really sees me

Love's for a lifetime  
Not for a moment  
So how can i throw it away  
I'm only human  
And nights grow colder  
With no one to love me that way

I need someone who really sees me  
And I won't wake up alone anymore  
Still believing you'll walk through my door  
You'll reach for me and I'll know it's for sure  
Then I'll give all the love in the world

Catherine was so immersed in the lyric and her own feelings that she didn't even realized she was crying, Sara on the other hand noticed and smiled happy. That was her favorite song.

"It is for sure" Sara whispered bending their hands together. Catherine looked at her with a beautiful smile and planted a softy kiss on the brunette's lips.

The next song they play was "Queen of Hollywood" a very happy one, giving Catherine time to recompose herself.

The band played for one hour and a half before the curtain closed. Catherine and Sara jumped from their seats before the other decided to move without waiting for them.

Catherine shivered as the night air hit her skin. The temperature had dropped a lot since the early evening.

"Cold?" asked Sara slipping her arms around Catherine waist. Her breath was so warm against the blonde's ear that it made another shiver ran through Catherine's body, a different and better one.

"A little"

"Well then, we better find a cab then and I will take you home"

"Actually, Sara, I'm not in the mood to go home yet" said Catherine stopping by holding Sara's hand "Would you like to have a drink with me? I know a nice place not far from here"

"Sure, if you are not tired" Catherine shook her head 'no' with a smile. Sara moved to Catherine's side, tucking an arm through the blonde's. "Let's go then"

Catherine opened the door from the pub and Sara entered first. The place was full of people but the atmosphere was perfect.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the most gorgeous woman in the entire Vegas. And my dear friend" said the guy on the other side of the balcony.

"Hey Pete, how is everything going?"

"Everything is the same around here. How about you? It's been awhile since your last visit"

"I have being busy being an investigator and a single mother at the same time. Maybe now I'll find some time to come here again"

"I'll hold on that. How is Lindsey?"

"She is doing fine… she is a teenager now so sometimes if not that easy, you know… "

"Do you have a picture of her?"

"Who doesn't have a picture of her daughter in the purse?"

"Mine didn't" said Sara remembering the blonde that she wasn't alone.

"Sorry babe. Henry, this is Sara Sidle, my girlfriend… who by the way works with me at crime lab… Sara, this Henry Petersen. We know each other since my dance days and he helped me through a lot"

"Is nice to meet you Sara" said Pete extending a hand "I must say, you got a nice woman here but be careful ok? She may seem a harmless cat when in fact she is a real tiger, a very stubborn one"

"Sara already saw my "tiger side" as you called Pete so, don't worry. Besides she is just as stubborn as I am" Catherine said resting against Sara.

"Really?" he asked with an eyebrow up. Sara could only nod. "Well, I guess you won't have a problem then. What can I get for you two beautiful ladies?"

"I want a yellow cocktail and Sara wants…"

"A red one, please, strawberries"

"Ok, two cocktails on this way" Sara turned the Catherine and pulled her between the legs, crossing her arms around the blonde's hips.

"He seems a really nice guy"

"He is. He always listens to me no matter what, and when I didn't want to talk he would tell me stories and cheer me up"

"Being a bartender, I bet he has lots of them to tell" She reached for the blonde face and hair, loving how emotional Catherine was at the moment. She pulled her for a kiss and Catherine moaned as tongues met for the first time that night. When Catherine tried to stop Sara didn't let her, instead she kissed the blonde even harder, holding her head still.

"What was that for? Not that I'm complaining though".

"I have being waiting to do this all night"

"Why waiting?" asked Catherine sitting at Sara's lap. "You know I'd love to kiss all day if I could" she said at the brunette's ear.

"I know, but I wanted you to enjoy the show and for me to be able to do that I had to make sure I didn't kiss you like this, or we may not have got there in the first place"

"Are you saying that I'm irresistible Sidle?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying" she answered kissing her again and soon asking for more. They kissed for long five minutes before the need of air become insufficient.

"When I said I didn't want go home it was because I knew the moment we got there the night would be over. With my mom and Lindsey being there…"

"I wouldn't have entered, even for a coffee"

"Yes. But I don't want the night to be over Sara. I don't."

"Ok and what do you want?" asked Sara, kissing Catherine's neck to her ear and biting gently.

"I want to sleep with you" she whispered "and I mean not just sleep".

"Explain to me why we are here then?"

"I thought a few drinks would help us to get in the mood." Catherine answered seeing Pete coming back from the corner of her eyes. She got off the brunette's lap and picked the drink, blinking an eye to him before turning back to Sara.

"Do you need a drink to do this?" Sara asked trying to sound normal, when deep inside she was disappointed. She thought she was enough to make Catherine wanting her. Catherine, who wasn't fool or anything, noticed the change in Sara's voice and was taken by surprise.

"It's not like I need this Sara, not with you. I just thought it would be easier for us to relax and maybe we would leave here without me having to say what I want. But I guess I already did that" She put the drink back on the bar table and turned to look at Sara. "I didn't want to ruin the mood"

Sara stopped Catherine by closing the distance between their lips again. Pulling her body closer to Catherine she held the blonde's head still so she could not go anywhere. Satisfied with the fact that Catherine didn't even try to stop her, she sucked the button lip slowly before brushing her tongue against them and pushing inside Catherine softy mouth.

Catherine was confused by Sara's question and now this but she felt so good kissing Sara, and being kissed by her with such a love and need that she gave Sara free access to her mouth. When they broke apart the blonde took a step back, hitting the balcony, in able to catch some breath.

"Does that seem like you ruined the night?" Catherine shook her head from side to side with a big smile on the face. Sara's hand slowly reached the blonde's cheek and squeezed. "I think I already prove you that I don't need alcohol to want to take you home with me Cat. I just need you smiling to me, touching me and letting me kiss you, nothing more"

Catherine bit her lips as Sara spoken so truthfully and romantic, no one ever refused a drink before or spoken like that, not with her at least. Pushing Sara back on the bench she devouring the brunette's mouth showing know much she appreciate the words. She used the advanced of being standing to impose her rhythm into the kiss and every time Sara wanted to take the lead she would stop her tongue as if she was going to break the kiss, making Sara groan in frustration.

Catherine looked at Pete with a sorry face but before she could open her mouth to speak, he did it.

"Get your ass out of here, now!" he said jokily.

"It was nice to meet you Pete"

"You too Sara. I see you another time" Sara waved to him and went to the door.

Pete grabbed the blonde's arm before she could leave. "She is not like anyone you ever dated" he said. "Don't let her go"

"I won't. I promise" she said giving him a kiss on the cheeks.

During the drive to Sara's place Catherine watched the buildings, the lights, and the people passing outside the window. She was happy. More then happy actually and Pete was right, Sara was different, unique. She was so immersed in her thoughts that she didn't saw Sara getting closer, not until her felt a hand on her hair. She jumped and looked at Sara who decided to plan softy and warm kiss on her neck. Catherine moved her head to the right offering more skin to Sara to kiss.

"You are quiet… is there something going on in the beautiful mind of yours?"

"Nothing you have to worry about…"

"Really?" she whispered, licking just behind Catherine's ear, making her shiver. She bit her ear lob before continued the kiss the blonde on the neck.

"How far are we from your place?"

"Not very far"

"Good" said Catherine. Sara smiled against her skin before returning to her seat satisfied at her attempted to make Catherine want her. "I'm sorry about that thing in the pub" Catherine said finally "I shouldn't have assumed…"

"It's ok Cat, it is in the past now" Catherine nodded thankful for that and turned her head to the window. Sara squeezed Catherine's thigh making the blonde relax.

"Here we are ladies" said the driver pulling the car on a safety place for them to get out. Sara extended the hand and opened Catherine's door, making sure her arms accidently brushed against Catherine's breasts. Catherine looked her with an eyebrow up and mumbled 'Very funny'

As they enter the elevator Catherine pushed Sara against the wall and kissed her hungrily. Sara pulled their body as close as possible. She cursed as the sound of the door opening made them stop. Catherine hugged Sara from behind and followed the brunette to the apartment. When they reached it Catherine wasted no time in devouring Sara's lips again. The brunette struggled to put the key in the lock but Catherine didn't seem to care because she moved her mouth to Sara's neck and shoulder, doing a great job on raising Sara's libido.

"I can't get the damn door opened if you keep doing this!"

"Yeah?"

"Stop acting like some horny teenager for Pete's sacks" She pushed the blonde away from the door without and unlocked it. "Now that's better"

Catherine closed the door by pressing Sara's body against it. Her hands went inside the brunette shirt as she stared at Sara with lust vivid in the blue eyes.

"What if being a horny teenager is exactly how you make me fell? One moment I want to go slow and seconds later I want to jump to you and take you right where we are?"

"Then I would say I know the feeling" Sara said switching their positions. "Ops"

The brunette kissed her lips first and then went down into the blonde's shoulder and torso, stopping between the breasts. Sensing Catherine's eyes on her Sara did something unexpected, she licked right in the middle of them. As the brunette looked up, Catherine's eyes had closed in appreciation. Sara made her way up again, stopping millimeters away from her lips.

Catherine waited anxiously for a kiss but he never came. In fact what she felt was emptiness as Sara's body were no longer closer to hers. She opened her eyes and saw Sara three steps away looking at her with both lust and admiration in the brown eyes. Catherine could only smile to that such devotion. Sara grabbed the blonde's hand and led them to the bedroom.

Catherine saw the king size bed waiting for them and let her body fall on the bed, her hair spreading over the sheets. Sara bit her lips not to moan and got closer to the bed, looking to the beauty that was laying there.

Slowly Sara started to undress starting with the red shirt. Catherine let a sound of appreciation as she saw that there was no bra under it. Sara then took her boots, pants and panties. When Catherine noticed she didn't actually take it off, she was just playing at, she was clearly disappointed but that only made Sara smile got bigger. The brunette made her way up to Catherine's face with one arm and leg on each side of Catherine's body, showing that there was no place for the blonde to run.

"I'm going to make you squirm under my touch…" she aid stopping her face in front of Catherine's "… Beg for me to take you but I won't do it. No. Not until I'm satisfied tasting every softy skin on your body" Catherine closed her eyes already picturing Sara's caresses and nodded vehement. "And if you try rushing me, force me to do what you want it will only take me twice the time to touch you where you need the most. Am I clear?" Catherine nodded trying not to beg already. "I want to hear you say it"

"Yes. You are clear. God Sara, can I at least touch you?"

"Everywhere you want, except inside my panties and believe me, I'm just as wet as you are right now"

"Jeez Christie"

"Tell me now you won't push me or I won't even start"

"No, please, no!" begged Catherine, eyes opening in fear. "I won't touch you there. I promise. Just please touch me, touch me…" Sara smiled bigger as watching the woman under her so desperate for her caresses.

"You took my breath away when you opened the door using this dress… He fits you so perfectly and shows me all your perfect curves and breasts…" she said touching Catherine's silhouette and up. "… but I'll not feel guilty what-so-ever for taking him from you now"

Catherine raised her hips and torso and Sara did just that, throwing the dress to anywhere in the floor

"God, you are so beautiful, so beautiful" she said before focusing her mouth on Catherine's neck.

The way Sara's hand and mouth worked on her body was totally amazing and Catherine did succeed at stopping herself from touching Sara, though you could see how hard she had to hold herself every now and then. When it was Sara turn to be please, Catherine made her see stars over and over again, not so gently like the brunette had did it, but good no less. They curled on the bed together and drifty into a nice and long sleep.


	5. May

**Here is another chapter for you guys to have some fun...**

My beta on this fic is a girl named Kelly. She has been a real help with my grammar/spells issue.

Please don't misunderstood me. I love Debbie (wee idgie) and what she is doing to my other fic 'time to heal' but i couldn't just send more fics to her when she has this one to look up and her ones, can i? It wouldn't be fair. But I do hope to work with her soon.

Read and review!! Please?

Catherine went back to the living room and found her daughter sleeping in front of the TV.

"Isn't she beautiful?" she said without being able to stop herself. Two arms wrapped around her belly from behind and she looked at her lover with a smile.

"She's an angel" Sara answered.

Yes, Lindsey seemed like an angel, with her blonde hair spread out on the couch, her white skin and her little body half covered with the blanket. Yes, she had the same intense blue eyes as her mother, but now they were closed in what it seemed to be a peaceful sleep.

"I wish I didn't have to wake her up"

"Do you want me to carry her to the bedroom?"

"I don't think she will let you do that. She is a grown up now" Sara's eyebrow went up almost reaching her hair line. She let go of her lover and walked toward the couch, kneeling in front of Lindsey. She smiled and touched the little girl's hair.

"Lindsey, honey, it's time to go to bed"

"I don't wanna go!" the girl responded, hugging a cushion.

"I know you don't, but don't you think your bed is a little more comfortable than this old couch?" Not hearing any yelling or a criticism, Lindsey's eyes flew open. "And if I'm not mistaken, you said that you don't like to wake up in a place full of light" Lindsey looked to the window and thought about it before slowly lifting the blanket and sitting up. "Come on, I'll walk you there" Lindsey grabbed her hand and they walk to upstairs.

"Sara"

"Yes, sweetie"

"Can you carry me?" Lindsey asked looking to the big stairs in front of her.

"Ok, I think I can do that" the girl smiled just like Catherine. "How do you wanna do this: you wanna wrap your legs around my body, or you prefer like this…" the brunette put one arm under her legs and the other on her back and lifted the girl in the air.

"I like the other way better" said Lindsey laughing. Sara adjusted the little blonde's legs and Lindsey smiled to her mom, who was watching everything with a grin on her face. "Night, mom. I love you"

"Night, mom. I love you" Sara repeated showing one of her gap tooth smiles.

"You can't date your own mother silly! Besides, I like you two dating"

"Yeah, and why is that, Miss smart girl?"

Catherine watched the two people she loves the most disappear up the stairs. Sara always said she wasn't good with kids, but with Lindsey she was perfect. Couldn't be better, actually, and the little girl was will­ing to do whatever the brunette asked without making a scene. They were perfect together. And they were both hers.

Sara came back after a few minutes and Catherine smiled at her, already seated on the couch.

"What did she say?" Sara walked toward the couch and seated in the end. Catherine hugged her and rested her head on Sara's chest.

"According to her, you have never been so happy dating someone like you are with me. You smile more; you laugh and joke and don't fight as much as you did. She thinks it's great that you are happy and she doesn't want anything to change that. Besides, she thinks I'm too old to be your daughter" the brunette completed touching Catherine's hair.

Catherine kissed her lover's neck and closed her eyes, thinking about what she heard. It hurt her that Lindsey knew so much about her moods and probably actions too. She shouldn't bother so much with her old mother and more with her study, her friends, everything else that was normal to young children. But nevertheless the little girl was right. She was right about everything.

Before Sara, Catherine was always in a bad mood. She came home tired, sometimes angry, and she snapped at everything, even things most people didn't, or wouldn't, care so much about. And then there was the dating thing. Without being able to have the only person she truly wanted, Catherine dated anyone who showed a simple and small interest on her, even if just physically. It was a desperate and unsuccessful attempt to be happy that only made her cry at night.

The blonde didn't move or say anything for a long time. Only when Sara felt something warm and wet fall on her shirt she realized that Catherine was actually crying. She kissed her lover's forehead gently and Catherine sank her face between Sara's neck and the couch, holding her for dear life.

They stood there a little longer, until Catherine finally let go of the brunette. She smiled at her and asked something that was playing in her mind as well as Lindsey's words. "Are you going to stay the night?"

"Only if you want me to"

"I do" she said nodding vehemently "_I want you to be here forever" _she wanted to say out loud but decided against it not knowing how Sara would respond. She got up from the couch, taking Sara's hand along with her. Catherine took her shoes off and lay above the sheets without changing her clothes. Sara watched her lover for a while before doing the same thing and laid beside her.

"I love you" Catherine whispered in the brunette's ear before lying against her shoulder. Sara's arm wrapped around her and they both drifted to sleep.

During the night, both altered places using the other one as a pillow. But when the morning came, Catherine tried to find her lover's safe, warm body but found nothing, just a cold sheet. The fear of being left alone again took over making Catherine jump and search around the room for any sign of Sara. Seeing her lover's shoes closer to the bed, she sighed in relief.

the blonde went downstairs, after stopping her heart from almost jumped out of her throat, and found the brunette sitting at the garden, looking lost in thought.

"Hey" she said lower to not startle the brunette.

"Hey yourself, did you sleep ok?" Catherine nodded.

"I missed you when I woke up, though"

"Sorry. I woke up a little earlier and knew I wouldn't go back to sleep. I made some coffee if you want" Catherine smiled happy. She went to the kitchen and came back with a tray of biscuits along with her cup of coffee.

"So, what are we doing out here?" Catherine asked, shivering.

"I needed to think" Sara answered, putting her arms above her knees and looking down.

"Think about what?"

"Is there something you are not telling me, Cat?" she asked without if's. "I know you got emotional about what happen last night and I understand. Really. But I can't shake this feeling that there is more that you don't want to share with me" Catherine looked away holding the cup with both hands.

There was one thing she has been thinking about for a week but Catherine wasn't sure if she should tell Sara yet. It could change their relationship and what if Sara wasn't ready for that? What if she didn't love Catherine as much as the blonde loves her?

They have been dating for five months now and it's been amazing. Catherine had never fallen for a woman so deeply like she has for Sara. And knew she wanted to be with Sara for as long as their relationship lasted. Every time Sara left her place, Catherine felt a hollow spot that would only be filled the next time she saw Sara. She wasn't getting any younger and she wanted to share her life with the brunette. But she knows that Sara is a private and independent woman who likes to have her own space, her own stuff, and life with them would change everything.

Uncomfortable with the silence, Sara spoke again "Remember when we went out for dinner for our two month anniversary? We promised to each other not to keep secrets from one another. Especially the ones that had everything to do with us, with our relationship"

"I know, but I'm scared, Sara. I'm scared of what you might say and how much that answer will affect me. One way or another it will and I…"

"Are you breaking up with me?"

"No. No. It's nothing like that" said Catherine looking at Sara, begging for the brunette to believe her. Sara smiled a bit.

"Just tell me, please. Whatever it is, it won't change the way I feel about you or how much I love you, Cat. Nothing can!"

"Come live with us. With me. For at long as it takes" Catherine blurted knowing it was now or never. When Sara's eyes and mouth opened in total sock and for minutes she didn't reply, Catherine knew she had made a mistake. She stormed back to the house without a word, feeling her heart breaking into a million pieces. She didn't even say Hi to Lindsey who happily said 'good morning'.

Realizing that she was making another huge mistake, she turned to Lindsey apologizing. She walked to the little blonde and hugged her like she does every morning. "Did you sleep all right?" she asked, full of caring. Lindsey nodded with a smile and hugged her mother again making Catherine's eyes start watering. "Do you think you can make your breakfast by yourself today or ask Sara to do it?"

"Sure"

"I just need a shower and it will take long this time" Lindsey nodded and watched her mom walking away.

"What did you do to her?" asked Lindsey stopping in front of Sara with both hands on her hips.

"Morning to you to, Lindsey. And you don't have to scream when we are this close, I'm not deaf"

"What did you do?" she repeated not screaming but seriously.

"Nothing. I did nothing"

"So doing nothing was the problem then. Because aside from me, you are the only one who can make her cry without saying or doing anything" Sara signed, that was true.

"She asked me something that took me completely by surprise and let's just say that I don't deal well with surprises" Sara answered smiling at Lindsey.

"Was it something bad?" asked Lindsey sitting where her mother was minutes ago.

"No, on the contrary. When I thought something bad had happened, she asked me to… to…"

"She asked you to move in with us. Will you at least think about it before you say 'yes' or 'no'?"

"Yes, but… Wait a sec! How did you know that was what she asked me?"

"She talked to me about it. Or did you think she wouldn't care about my opinion on this?" Sara's mouth opened again and Lindsey smiled "A few days ago, she came into my room and said she wanted you to come live with us. But she would only ask if I was ok with it. If not, she would wait a little longer and ask me again. Those were her words, not mine."

"So she's really sure about this"

"Pretty sure"

"And you are ok with it?"

"I told you that last night, Sara, I like you a lot. Besides, if you'll be here all the time, you can always help me with my homework"

"Just because I may live here, doesn't mean I'll do all the work for you, Lindsey"

"I know, and I don't want you to. How I'm going to learn if I don't try to do it myself?"

"_This girl is a very smart one and my guess, she will get us in a lot of trouble when she gets older"_ Sara thought with a smile. "_Wait, did I just say us_"

"You're smiling. So is that a yes? You're moving in?"

"I didn't say that. And moving in is not that simple"

"How is it not simple? You grab all your stuff and put it here. You already have a room, so it won't be a problem. And we have wardrobes for your clothes and a bookstand where you can put your books and cd's."

"I have other things in my apartment aside from that"

"Well, you can leave it at your place or have a sale. Stephanie's mom did that when they moved to France" Sara pulled the little girl towards her and Lindsey started laughing at the same time as she tried to get free. "Hey, let go of me"

"You are quite a figure, kiddo"

"I know" Sara laughed, that was exactly what Catherine would have answered. "I like you, Sara, and I want you to be my second mom" the girl said looking up. Mom. She wanted a second mom. "Can I give you a piece of advice?"

"Another one?"

"Go talk to her. Say you're not sure, but say something, anything. You don't want her not talking to you for days"

"Hell no"

"I thought so" said the little girl getting up. "Are you going to stay here all day?"

"I'm going, I'm going. Jeez, you are more and more like your mother every day" _and I love that!_

Sara went upstairs two steps at a time. She opened Catherine's door and was happy to not find Catherine crying on the bed. She turned the bathroom knob and succeeded at opening it without making a sound. Sara felt a smile appearing on her face as she saw Catherine washing her hair behind the curtain.

She couldn't deny that being with Catherine was the most amazing thing that ever happened to her, but was she ready to leave her apartment? Her freedom and her independence?

Catherine was so absorbed in whatever she was thinking that didn't see Sara coming, not before she opened the curtain. She jumped three feet off the ground and almost fell because of the spume from the shampoo. Sara grabbed her arm before that happened, thankfully.

"Were you trying to give me a heart attack?" Catherine said a little harsh.

"I'm sorry. I thought you'd have seen me"

"Well, I didn't" Sara looked down pretty ashamed and Catherine signed, squeezing a hand in to her hair. She didn't have to do that, no matter how hurt she really is. "I'm sorry. What can I do for you?"

"Let me do this" Sara pulled Catherine by her hips and closed the distance between their lips. Catherine moaned into the kiss and their tongues met in a perfect dance.

"Does that mean you're not angry at me?"

"I'm not angry. I could never be" said Sara kissing her again. "But I need to know what made you think that now. Is it because of Lindsey and what she said last night?"

"No. It's because I love you and I miss you like crazy every time. Of course it helps to know she likes you, and that you care so much about her, but it could never be just that"

"I love you two very much so but…"

"I'm asking too much too soon. And you have every right to decline my offer" said Catherine stepping back.

"I'm not declining your offer. But I'm not saying yes either. All I ask is for you to give me some time to think this through. I don't do things without pondering the 'pros' and 'cons', you know that" Catherine nodded.

"How much time do you need?"

"Maybe a day. A week. I don't really know, but I'll think very careful before giving you an answer, ok?" Catherine nodded. "Can you wait?"

"I don't want this to end, Sara, so I'll wait" the brunette squeezed Catherine's neck as she rested her forehead against the blonde's. Sara didn't know what to say yet, but she knew two things for certain: She loves Catherine with all her heart, and would give her life in exchange for Catherine's or Lindsey's safety without blinking an eye. Catherine closed her eyes and relaxed at the touch.

Sara pulled the blonde in for another kiss, this time playing with both lips for a long time before tasting inside Catherine's mouth. She helped Catherine finish showering and Catherine watched as the brunette took care of herself. "God, you are so beautiful" said Catherine without being able to hold her tongue. Sara shouted her kiss and the blonde decided it was to cold to continue in the shower.

"Can I borrow a shirt?"

"Sure, go ahead" Sara shouted a 'thanks' and went to find something nice to wear. Catherine had a lot of shirts, and most of them fit Sara's body perfectly. "So, what do you wanna do now? Maybe go to your place to think, or stay here and do something with us?"

"I was thinking that maybe we could go for a picnic at the park" she said, actually hurt by Catherine's words.

At any other circumstance, Sara would already be home, looking outside Vegas, with a beer in hand, and trying to decide how to say 'no' to the proposal. Sara was never a big fan of changes and this was a big and frightening one. But, at the same time, she didn't feel like leaving or wanting to be alone, and that felt good.

The blonde looked at her with a mix of surprise and confusion, but when she saw that Sara was being totally serious about the picnic, her entire face lit up.

"_Look at that smile! So beautiful and totally for you and no one else" _The brunette's mind screamed.

"I'm going to ask Lindsey if she wants to make the sandwiches with us" said Catherine, almost leaving the room. "We can go to the grocery store to buy some appetizers and soda on the way to the park"

"Picnic without soda is not a real picnic!" Catherine nodded, laughing.

Because Lindsey had already eaten her breakfast, they decided to go at lunch time. It was a beautiful day for a picnic and even better because Catherine's mood had changed drastically. Lindsey was happy that Sara fixed things with her mom, even if not saying what her mother wants to hear. The little girl helped them to pick a nice spot at the park and arrange the foods in a towel.

"Can I go to the swing first?" she asked to her mother.

"This is a park sweetie so of course you can" Lindsey smiled from ear to ear and ran to the only one that wasn't being used.

"This was a great idea" she said looking at her daughter. "It's been awhile since we had fun at the park" smiling at the brunette, she saw Sara staring at her. "What?"

"Oh, nothing"

"Sara" she said not believing.

"I'm just looking, that's all. Can't I look at my girlfriend?"

"Fine. Do you wanna see me on the swings too?"

The blonde got up from the floor and went without waiting for an answer. Catherine took a seat on the one closest to Lindsey and they both tried to go as high as they could. Of course, Catherine pretended to be scared of the height but they seemed to be having fun nevertheless.

Catherine jumped out of the swing and came back to where Sara was. "She wants you to go with her to the child's slide"

"Can't you go instead?"

"Why, are you afraid you are going to fall? Or be trapped at the plaything?"

"Are you saying I have a big butt, is that it?"

"What if I am?" Catherine answered with a smirk.

"You little… Ok. I'm going. You should know by now that I never refuse a challenge" Catherine laughed and watched Sara walk away with a serious expression on her face.

She called the two kids to eat a few minutes later and they talked about anything and everything. Apparently Lindsey's friend was going to travel next week and she had invited the girl to go with her. Catherine didn't like the idea but said she would talk to the girl's parents to be sure they want her to go and where they were going. Anything place outside the United States was out of question.

"I'm sure if I had asked Sara, she would say yes. Right, Sara?" Catherine bit her lips. If Sara agrees to move in, they will have other moments like this one. But things would be just fine.

"I don't see the problem" answered Sara honestly.

"I knew it"

"You didn't let me finish. I don't see a problem, but I think your mother is right to want to know more before letting you go"

"Hey, I thought you were cool"

"Depending on where you guys are going we can go too. Just to be sure nothing bad happens" Lindsey eyes opened in shock making the two oldest women laugh. "Calm down Lind's, we wouldn't do that to you" said Sara still laughing. "So relax ok? Your mother and I trust you. We just don't want anything bad to happen"

"I understand, but Sophie said her parents were going and few aunts and uncles too"

"Well then, that sure works in favor for you" Sara answered which made Lindsey smile.

"Can I have a ball, like that one?" Lindsey pointed to a guy caring lots of plastic balls. Sara looked to Catherine liking the idea. The blonde grabbed some of her money and Lindsey got up. "Come on Sara, let's play. You can come too, mom" she said when her mother remained seated.

"No, you two go. I suck at playing ball and she knows it" Catherine said pointing to her daughter to make Sara believe her.

"Ok, let's go, kiddo. We'll show your mother we are the best."

Lindsey smiled happily and Catherine lay down on her left side to watch them. Again her thoughts travel to how much she loves Sara and the brunette's reaction after she told her about her idea. No matter how much she wanted to be sure that Sara would say yes a big part of her didn't want to get her hopes up because the pain of a 'no' would be unbearable. Of course she would live with that, if she hasn't any choice at all, but things wouldn't be quite the same.

"_No! I'm not letting this ruin my day!"_ Catherine thought convicted. "I'm having fun and I love her"

"That's good to know" said Sara's voice closer. _"Because I'm having a great time too with the two most important people in my life" _Catherine looked at her and to Lindsey who was playing with another three kids.

"Did she trade you for the kids?"

"No, I let her play. She really knows how to make friends and I bet she inhered this from you" the brunette said, sitting beside Catherine.

"Eddie made friends easily too. But I'm glad that she is smarter than both of us at choosing her real friends. I don't want her to make the same mistake I did when I chose Eddie. Is it ok if I lay here?" Sara uncrossed her leg and Catherine rested her head on Sara's thigh. The brunette's hand started caressing the blonde's soft hair making Catherine smile.

Catherine was totally relaxed and almost asleep when she heard Sara's voice in her ear. "My answer is yes" She remained silent, thinking her own mind was playing tricks on her but when she felt a kiss on her cheeks, she knew the truth. She turned her body up and looked at Sara's face.

"Yes" she silently mouthed.

"Yes, Cat. And I know that no matter how hard it is at the beginning or how scared we both are… we can do this. As long as we stay together, talking" Catherine nodded biting her lips. Sara wiped her tears with her mouth before kissing the blonde's lips. "I love you"

"Oh no, not again!" said Lindsey holding a red ball in her arms.

"Don't worry, Linds, she is crying because she is happy this time" said Sara having tears in her eyes as well.

"You said yes! You said yes!" Lindsey jumped throwing the ball to the shy. "YES!"

"Am I missing something?"

"Yes. But I can tell you when we get home. Now, I want you to give me a properly kiss"

"Your wish is my command"


	6. June

**Warning: explicit sex between two girls...  
disclairmes: csi are not mine!**

Sara left her suitcase by the door and went to find her girlfriend. Grissom had forced her to take his place in a seminar in Boston because some stupid case with bugs and only gave her notice on the day of the flight, giving her no time for a proper goodbye to her lover. She could still remember Catherine's hurt face when she told her that she wouldn't be spending the weekend with her and Lindsey.

She found her, lying in her stomach beside the pool, wearing nothing more but a navy blue bikini, the one Sara's loves the most. Sara's heart filled with joy and she leaned against the doorframe that lead to the garden and watched her lover for awhile.

"Her skin is so white and soft and she is mine, just mine" she thought to herself. "Hi there" Sara said making her presence known.

"Hey, you, you came back early" Catherine says turning her head. Sara noded but didn't miss the hurt behind the blonde's words.

"I didn't wanna go in the first place"

"Yeah, I know"

"Is Lindsey home?"

"No, she's at Brittany's. After I told her you wouldn't come she decided to call her friend and will be spending the weekend there"

"And you were ok with it?" Sara asks sitting beside the blonde. Catherine said yes and turned her body up.

Sara's head went down and kissed the blonde's soft lips. She broke the kiss, but left her mouth inches away from Catherine's lips. Catherine's hand went inside the brunette's hair as their lips met again. This time, Sara put more force into the kiss.

The brunette sat comfortably with a hand on the other side of Catherin's body and stood, staring at the blonde's features. But Catherine knew that look and although it sends goose bumps all over her body most of the time, something tells her that Sara's mind is far away, flying to some unknown place.

"What?" Sara says blinking a few times.

"Tell me what you're thinking" Catherine repeated touching the brunette's face.

"While I was away, I thought a lot about us and I realize I'm being a fool. I'm so sorry for that"

"I don't think you're a fool, not for one second, but you'll have to tell me more, because I don't understand"

"I love you Cat, like I've never loved anyone before and you love me back, letting me be in yours and Lindsey's lives, it makes me feel so happy, so alive. Because of that feeling, I should never be scared of letting people know the truth. I'm sorry it took so long for me to come to my senses"

"Are you saying…" Catherine asked with her blue eyes glowing. Sara nodded with a smile.

"I do want them to know, Cat! I want everyone to know you are my one, true love"

"Really?"

"I'm tired of sacrificing my happiness for other people. I love and I am in love with you"

"Oh, honey, I love and I am in love with you too" Catherine said hugging her hard. "And don't you ever scare me like that again, understand? I though you were breaking up with me"

"Do you think I'm crazy or something? Cause only a crazy person would leave you"

"You think so?" the blonde asked with a full smile.

"Oh I know so" Sara said kissing her lips.

"Why don't you go change and join me in the pool? It's a hot day and the water is amazing. You can arrange the bags later"

"Should I put on that red bikini you like so much, or can I be… naked?"

"That actually depends…"

"On what? Tell me"

"On how much you missed me"

Sara thought for a second before getting up from the floor and walking back inside the house. She could see the look of surprise in her girlfriend eyes and if she wasn't mistaken a bit of hurt too. If she wanted to have a nice love moment, why would she walk away instead of undress just there?

Five minutes later Sara returned using one of their white robes. She puts one towel at the chair and stop in front of Catherine, already inside the pool. She holds the knot for a split second before pushing hard. Catherine eyes open and she looked up and down her girlfriend's body.

"Oh my God!" she let escape.

Sara threw the robe aside and walked around the pool to use the stairs. She flinched because of the cold water but didn't back off. She walked to the blonde who's mouth was agape.

"I thought you didn't…"

"I don't like it much…" Sara answered pulling a hand behind Catherine's neck. "…To bad memories. But you do, so I thought I should give it a try and who knows, maybe you can change my mind about this" Catherine nodded and looked down as her hands found the new toy that was wrapped around Sara's hips. "The guy said it would work perfectly under water" she whispered turning the device on.

Catherine her eyes flew opened as she felt the dildo tremulate in her hand. She bit her lips hard and looked at Sara. She totally didn't expect that and know that Sara was doing for her was amazing. She threw herself onto Sara, kissing her hungrily. Sara untied the blonde's bikini and put in the board. Then she wrapped her lover's legs around her waist and pushed Catherine against the wall for support.

"Let me do the honors?" the blonde said against her ear, biting the ear lob. Sara looked at her and just smiled. Understanding that as a 'go ahead', Catherine pushed the toy against her centre and inside her opening.

She was half of the way inside when Sara got tired of waiting and thrusted up with no a warning. "Oh my Goodness"

"I'm sorry babe, but I had to do this"

"Ok… Ok… I… hum… oh this is good… oooh so good…"

Catherine rested her elbows on the edge of the pool, exposing her nice, beautiful breasts. Sara flattened her tongue on the small nub before completely taking the rosy nipple in her mouth, sucking it and flicking it every once and awhile. She found a perfect pace inside Catherine and could see that Catherine was losing control faster. God that felt good!

Satisfied with the view in front of her and wanting to give her lover the best orgasm ever, Sara slid her hand down and surprised the blonde by touching Catherine's clit. Catherine's body reacted immediately and she screamed louder.

"God, babe, you are so sexy when you scream like that... so sexy…" Sara continued thrusting and moving her finger on the top of Catherine's centre.

"Oh fuck…. Oh fu… ck… SARA... SARA... OH GOD!" Catherine head fell against Sara's shoulder as she came hard. The brunette turned off the dildo, but didn't take it from inside the blonde just yet.

"Honey, are you ok?" asked Sara when Catherine didn't move or speak for two minutes. Catherine lifted her head up from the brunette's shoulder and locked their eyes.

"I can't even describe how I'm feeling right now. What you did to me. For me" Catherine bit her lips and closed her eyes, letting out a soft moan.

"I'm glad you liked it. Coz I'm not done yet" Sara whispered the last part.

"What?" Catherine asked in sock.

"There is one more thing I want to do with you" Sara took the dildo off the blonde and Catherine stand up. Sara re-position Catherine with her hands on the board, searched for Catherine's opening again and entered her, full force, with the dildo, making Catherine groan.

She moved in and out of Catherine, in a very slow pace, until Catherine started begging for more. Only then the brunette pushed the blonde's hips toward her speeding up as fast as she could under the water.

"Amazing… You are so amazing…" said Catherine breathing heavily. She could feel it coming, and it was coming faster.

Sara was amazed but the site in from of her and how good it feels to be fucking Catherine like she never had done before. She felt totally in control. Travelling her hands on Catherine's back, down to her ass, she inserted a finger into Catherine's ass. The blonde was taken completely by surprise. "Shit!"

Sara smiled and pressed Catherine against the edge.

"You have no idea how many time I fantasized about doing this" she whispered inserting her finger again. A loud groan escaped from the blonde's throat but Sara was sure it had nothing to do with pain. She fit in and out Catherine front and back and when she was finished, the blonde was seeing stars.

Her body was so weak that Sara, after taking the toy out of Catherine and herself, grabbed the blonde in her arms and carried the blonde out of the pool.

The blonde rested her head on Sara's shoulder, enjoying the closeness and the amazing sex, No, the love they had shared. "If every time Grissom sent you to a conference and you came back willing to take me completely, I'm going to ask him for you to go more often" she whispered.

"Do that and I will never use this toy on you ever again" the brunette said not playing around.

"I guess I won't say a word then" Sara laughed and kissed the blonde's face. "Welcome home, babe"

"It's good to be home"

TBC


	7. July

Sara finished her report on the Hung's case and looked at the clock on the computer, 4:45. Fifteen minutes and the shift would be over. A smile appeared on her lips as she thought about some red-head that would be going home with her. She stored the evidence and walked around the lab. She stopped at the corridor and noticed Catherine's office door closed, while a closed door usually meant "stay away" to everybody, to the brunette, a closed door meant "come on in". Sara looked around the hallway before she knocked and entered the room.

"Hey, Cat, I just want to know…"

She stopped dead in her tracks as she saw that there was no one in the room. No sign of Catherine. Confused, Sara left the room and went to look for the blonde. "Hey, Greg, have you seen Catherine?"

"I think she had to go back to the crime scene and find more evidence"

"Really? But Warrick said they had everything"

"Apparently, he was wrong" Sara nodded disappointed. "Before I forget, happy birthday, Sara"

"Thanks" she said, forcing a smile.

Her birthday was on July 7, and today was July 7; and although Sara never had a reason to celebrate her birthday, this year things were different. She had Catherine and they had agreed to spend the day together, alone.

"As my gift to you, I'll arrange a table for two in a nice restaurant at the end of the week, ok? Me and you, alone, having a great time…"

"I appreciate it Greg, but you should know by now that I'm not into boys"

"That doesn't mean we can't go to dinner as friends"

"No, it doesn't, but I'm sure Mandy would love to have dinner with you alone, so why don't you ask her? We can go celebrate with everyone"

"Nice way to say 'no,' Sara" the CSI said actually smiling.

"Well, I have lots of training on this matter Greg. See you" she shouted, walking away. "He really won't give up trying, Sidle, jeez"

Sara tried to find Warrick, but he was no where to be seen. She talked to Nick, but he didn't know anything about the blonde's case and Grissom was somewhere with that anthropologist, her name is Teri. Grabbing her stuff from the locker room, Sara tried Catherine's cell phone, but no one answered. She tried again and got her voicemail.

"_Hi, this is Catherine, I can't talk to you right now, so please leave your message after the signal and I'll try and call you back ASAP. Bye_." Sara shut the phone in anger.

"Where are you, Cat?" she asked to no one. "I need you" she whispered in defeat.

Sara walked to her car and drove away from the lab, trying to relax as she heard some music on the radio. Usually it helped her to cool down when Catherine couldn't do that herself. She entered Catherine's place, it's also been her place for almost a month now, and found the house empty. Lindsey was sleeping at her aunt's because she decided to and of course Catherine was working. She sighed, frustrated, and went to the fridge to grab some beer. As she closed the door the phone started ringing. She ran and picked it up after the second ring.

"Hello"

"Hi, Honey, Judy told me you had left already…"

"I didn't know how long you would be there, and I had already finished my things so… Why didn't you answer your phone?"

"Sorry, the battery must have died again"

"Are you going to be home soon?" Sara asked sitting on the arm of the couch.

"I don't think I will be able to, babe, not before the next shift"

"What? Are you serious?" asked Sara feeling a lump in her throat.

"I have no choice but finish this case today, Sara, Grissom said that himself"

"I can go and help you"

"We already have Nick helping us, so it's ok, don't worry, I'll see you next shift"

"Hey, Cat, do you have any idea what day it is?"

"July 7, why?" Sara felt her heart break into a million pieces as she realized that Catherine had no clue why this day was so important.

"Never mind, I'll see you later" she said shutting the phone off and throwing it on the couch. Raising her hand to her hair, Sara fought the tears that were threatening to fall. She went upstairs to put on her bathing suit and go for a swim.

The day passed by, and Sara was going from crazy to sad to angry. She tried to forget, pretend that everything was fine, like she did so many times in her childhood. She remembered one year in particular when she walked in the kitchen and her parents were fighting. She asked them to stop because she wanted everyone to be happy. After all, it was her birthday, but they looked at her like she was some crazy girl.

"_Do you think we give a damn about you, at all?" screamed her father. "You are just a piece of shit, that's what you are. You are a huge mistake! Now get out of here before I kick your ass"_

After hearing those words, Sara never spoke about her birthday again. She would spend the day trying to be invisible because it was the best she could do. Now, she was a grown woman, a strong and independent one who didn't need to spend money celebrating something so worthless. Friends from the university and the csi's would try to take her out for a drink but she just said she had other things to do.

Sara arrived at the lab and went to grab a cup of coffee. She found the place empty and took a seat on the couch. She wanted to go and find Catherine, but at the same time she didn't know if she could face the blonde yet. Warrick and Nick were the first to show up talking animatedly about sports. They saw Sara and congratulated her for getting older. She smiled at them and before any of them could say anything, Greg arrived with Grissom.

"Ok guys, this is what we got tonight" said Grissom ready for business.

"Wait, what about Catherine?" asked Sara louder than she intended. "Shouldn't we wait for her before you give the assignments?"

"I passed by her on the hallway and already give her assignment" Sara mouth opened in a 'o' and she nodded.

"What we got, boss?" asked Warrick.

"Nick, Greg, a possible homicide… Warrick, you and I have a body found on the lake… Sara, here is your B&E. It probably won't take long, so come back and wait if one of us needs a hand"

"Sure" she said grabbing the file and walking away without looking back. The guys looked to each other and Nick was the first to speak.

"I'm so glad I'm not the one being ignored on my birthday. She better do something amazing, or Sara will be angry with her like forever"

"Yeah, she is risking a lot and I can say for sure: Catherine is having a hard time knowing what Sara is thinking and feeling. I had to drag her back two times today before she could run home and beg Sara to forgive her" said Warrick.

"Come on, let's do our paperwork and wait for Catherine's signal" said Grissom. Everyone nodded and walked away with a smile on their faces.

Sara got out of the SUV and found no Brass or Sofia waiting for her at the crime scene but some other officer she had never seen. She showed her badge and walked inside the house to the office. Sara looked at the open window and the all over the place before starting to take pictures and collect evidence.

After an hour, Sara had finished the room. She talked with the owner to see if he had any suspicions of who could have done this and why, and then put her kit back in the trunk. She looked at her phone but Catherine hadn't tried to contact her.

"I'm not going to beg for a 'happy birthday'" she said entering the car and closing the door with a bang. "I'll not do that! Even if it kills me not to hear from her" She said as she started the engine. A single tear ran down her cheek, but Sara wiped it away, frustrated.

She dropped off the pieces of evidence in the right places and went to her office; she needed a moment alone first. She opened the door and saw, right in the middle of her desk, a bouquet of roses, all colors with a card. She closed the door, turned the light on, and walked to the desk.

"_Sara,_

_I know you probably hate me right now, and you have every right to feel this way. After all, how could someone who loves you so deeply, who asked you to move in her a month ago just forget your birthday? It's totally unthinkable, and I couldn't agree more. _

_But I __didn't forget, honey. I could never forget you or how much you've changed me since I met you. _

_I had given up on love, __accepting the fact that people would always want me because of my body, not for who I truly am, but then you showed up and you made me realize how stupid I was being. You changed my way of thinking, my way of acting, the way I feel about myself and other people as well, my entire world Sara and I will be forever grateful to you for that. I love you with all my heart and I will always will, no matter what. _

_C__ome looking for me when you can, ok? And I hope you understand why I did what I did today. _

_Love, your__ Catherine_"

Sara finished reading and the tears ran down her eyes like cascades. She picked the flower and smelled the perfume.

"You always know how to make me forgive you, don't you, Willows?" she said to no one. "And I love you too" Sara erased all the evidences of crying her eyes out and left her office.

She tried the blonde's office, the break room, the locker room, Greg's "office" and found no sign of Catherine. No sign of any other csi as well. She walked to the front desk and asked Judy if the blonde had, for some reason, left the lab.

"No, Sara, she didn't leave. Did you check the garage or the morgue?"

"I forget those, thanks, Judy"

"You're welcome"

Sara decided to go to the garage first and found Catherine talking to Grissom in the hallway. She felt her heart melt just at the site of the blonde. Catherine stopped talking and turned her head suddenly and their eyes met. The blonde's face glowed and she touched Grissom's arm before walking toward the brunette. Sara saw Grissom smiling at her and looked back to the blonde.

"Hi"

"Hi" answered Catherine.

"I saw your gift… my gift…"

"Did you like it?"

"They're beautiful, Cat, but you know I don't need birthday presents"

"Just because you don't need it doesn't mean you won't get one, Sara. Besides, there isn't a single person in this world that doesn't like to get gifts"

"Yeah, but why, Cat, why did you make me believe that you had forgotten my birthday, when I told you that I care about this date for the first time in a long time?"

"I didn't want to say that on the phone when I could say it in person"

"But when I said I could come here and help you with your case, and said 'no'. Why?"

"Well, about that, I lied. Warrick and I didn't find any new evidence and that was not the reason why I had to stay here all day. And believe me Sara I hated that guy for making me break my promise, specially knowing how important it was to you"

"What guy?"

"I bought you a gift and the company should have delivered it yesterday, but the guy called and said he couldn't do it until today. But, he didn't say the specific hour only that it would be during the afternoon"

"So when I suggested helping you…"

"I didn't want you to ruin my surprise" Sara looked down, feeling really stupid for thinking that Catherine would forget her. Catherine walked closer to the brunette. "I never intended to hurt you, and definitively not today, I'm sorry" Catherine said closing the distant between their lips. Sara smiled and was about to respond when Catherine broke the kiss. She smiled when Sara opened her eyes in confusion and touched her lover's face. "Do you think you can forgive me?"

"Even if I wanted to be angry at you, because you made me feel pretty bad today, it would be impossible"

"You always like to answer more than just a 'yes' or 'no', don't you, babe?"

"I think I like that, yes" she said playing with the blonde.

Catherine wrapped her arms behind Sara's neck before their lips met again. Sara moaned as their tongues met for the first time that day. When Catherine tried to stop, Sara pulled her body even more closely to Catherine's and dominated the kiss. They broke a part, breathing heavily.

Catherine opened the door to the garage revealing Sara's present, a silver-grey mountain Bike, from Montana Warlock Bike. Sara's mouth opened as she walked closer to her new baby. Her bike was nothing compared to this one, it is old, blue and covered with rust.

"Mom said I could ride with you sometime" said Lindsey making her presence known. Sara looked at her and saw that she was not the only unexpected visitor. Catherine's sister and niece were here along with everyone from the lab.

"Happy birthday, Sara" they said in unison.

"Nick, if you bring the… you know…" said Catherine. The Texan walked out of the room and came back with a big cake.

"Don't forget to make a wish, Sara" said Nancy. Sara looked at Catherine still a little shocked and the blonde signed for her to go ahead.

Every person in the room hugged Sara before they started to savor the nice cake Catherine had brought. Catherine was the last one and they kissed long and deep, without caring that everyone was watching. Every one applauded the couple.

"Happy birthday, Honey" whispered Catherine in her ear.

tbc


	8. August

Catherine opened the door of the bar and entered, ducking her head so she wouldn't hit the top of the doorframe. The smell of tobacco and cigarettes reached her nose with full force. The place was old, small, and the costumers were probably the same ones that have come in every night for ages that only drinker beer and ask for peanuts and chips, nothing else. It wasn't fancy, big, or luxurious like every place in Vegas, in fact it seemed like one of those bars that you'd find in the middle of no-where. A place that Catherine would never go if it wasn't for one person that she knew was there.

Scanning the room, through the clouds of smoking hanging on the air, Catherine saw the person she wanted in the back of the room, at one of the billiard tables. Three men and a woman were playing a game, but after a few minutes, Catherine realized that the guys were just watching as the woman hit the ball with a cue, like she was doing now. A smirk appeared in Catherine's mouth and she walked toward the bar to order her drinks. The bartender was a short man, age sixty, fat, and seemed to smell really bad. _Like everything around here. _Catherine thought.

"Hi there, I want two beers please" The man winked at her and smiled, showing his dislocated and yellow teeth. Catherine smiled politely, trying to hide her disgust of the man's mouth and looked back to the pool table, resting her back on the ivory bar while she waited.

She couldn't deny that that person was a real figure. Someone very different from everyone she knew, and Catherine knew lots of people because of her old job. She was interesting, mysterious, and absolutely gorgeous. With her brown hair, thin waist and long legs – legs to die for – oh and the best part, Catherine had to say over and over again how beautiful she actually is. Not that this is a problem what-so-ever.

"Here you go, lady" Catherine thanked the man and paid for the beers before walking to the pool table. She stepped closer and coughed a little to make her presence known. Three pairs of eyes looked at her and a smile formed on their faces. The blond man walked toward Catherine, stopping beside her. He raised his left eyebrow as his eyes travelled her body from head to toe, like she was a prey ready to be caught.

"_Men, they can't stop acting like some pervert animal around a woman, can they?" _she thought in disbelief.

"What are you doing here?" asked a female voice calling everyone else's attention to her. She was still bent over the pool table focusing on her next stroke.

"What do you think I'm doing here?" Catherine asked smiling bigger. She stepped away from the blond guy, rolling her eyes, and walk to the girl. She put one of the beers on the rail of the pool table and waited. Sara's mouth formed a smirk and she hit the white ball pretty hard, sending the four remaining balls in to the pockets, not one in the same pocket.

"Oh man!" said one the brunette guy. "Not again"

"I can't believe she did that!" said the other pulling his wallet from his jeans pocket. "How did she do that?" he asked shaking his head from side to side. Catherine bit her lip trying not to laugh at the situation. No one should ever make a bet against Sara in billiards, never.

"Save the money for another day, guys" Sara said putting the cue back in his place. "After two routs in a row, you guys should knew better before using the word 'bet' with me in pool" and now, finally, Sara looked to the blonde, showing her big gap tooth smile.

Catherine's entire body melted at that smile. Sara walked toward her without breaking their eye contact and stopped face-to-face with her. She didn't say a thing just pulled a hand behind Catherine's neck and closed the distance between their lips harshly. The blonde moaned in surprise of the gesture and Sara used that opportunity to devour her mouth completely, not giving Catherine time to follow her fast tongue. She had missed the blonde very much tonight.

"Oh and one more thing…" she said looking to the trio "…Steven…" the blond guy blinked and looked at her "… stay way from my girl!" the guy closed his mouth and nodded. Catherine smiled triumphant.

Sara turned her attention back to the table and grabbed her beer before looking at Catherine. Catherine imitated the brunette's gesture with the bottle and rested it back on the pool table.

"Grissom told me you had left before the shift ended" she said starting the conversation.

"Yeah, I finished the case earlier and I didn't want to stay there anymore. But I knew I couldn't just walk into your office and drag you out of there so…" Sara explained taking another sip.

"If you had looked for me there, you would've seen that I wasn't doing anything that couldn't be done tomorrow" answered Catherine knowing that there had to be more behind Sara's action. Since they started dating, Sara always said goodbye to her, one way or another, using the phone or stopping by her office, so if she didn't do it tonight, the brunette must've had a reason.

Sara looked down, clearly upset. She should have known that her lies wouldn't work with Catherine anymore and while part of her was sad about it, the other was actually thrilled. It meant she didn't have to hide her feelings from the blonde anymore, whatever they may be, good or bad.

"Maybe, but we can't let our relationship get in the middle of our work. You heard Grissom" she said stubbornly but sad at the same time.

"What Grissom wants is for us to become cold, selfish, unemotional person, just like him, but I can't be that person, and I know you love me because of that" Sara couldn't help but smirk at that.

"I wanted you to come" Sara whispered looking to Catherine's eyes. "I really wanted to"

The blonde smiled at her emotional lover's state and gave her a kiss before saying. "I believe you" Catherine grabbed Sara's hand and they walked away from the table to the bar. They found two free seats and took them.

"How bad was it?"

"Really bad" Sara touched her hair and sighed. "I was looking at the interrogation from the other side of the glass and I saw her. She couldn't be there, but she was. The woman, the suspect, kept saying horrible things about her kid, how he deserved what he got and all that, everything that my mother would have said to me and did say more then once"

"Why didn't you leave when you first had the insight?"

"I don't know. I just stayed there listening and… the next thing I know my hands were on the suspect's throat. If it wasn't for Brass taking me away right on time I probable would have killed her"

Sara already had an excess of anger that she would hit a wall, a tree, and almost herself when cases like this happened, but she had never done anything to a suspect before. But even now, knowing that she did, Catherine wouldn't believe that Sara would go until the end of it, because she knows that Sara cares about people and about doing the right thing.

"And then what?"

"Grissom was there and he sent me home, he said he didn't need me anymore"

"He fired you?" Catherine asked, now concerned.

"I wouldn't be surprised if he did. I know I would"

"I don't believe that. He may suspend you, but not fire you! He knows he can't find a better csi to take your place"

"Anyone is better then me, Cat, 'a lunatic with a gun' or whatever the hell Ecklie said, 'a bomb ready to explode'"

"Everyone has days where everything is so hard to take that they explode. You saw me having them a thousand times, I saw Warrick have them too" said the blonde touching Sara's hand and making the brunette look at her.

"Sara, you listened to the woman's words no matter how bad it hurts you because you cared about that little boy and why he died. I have seen you care more about the victims than any of the guys or me, and not just today. And you always care for and protect your friends. You are a good person, Sara. Loyal, caring, truthful, but who by 'God knows why' had a bad childhood, but that's it!"

Sara didn't seem to believe at her words so Catherine continued. "Do you want to know someone who was a time bomb?"

"Yes, I want to know" Sara asked angry, not at Catherine but at herself for not controlling her temper in the interrogation and messed things up.

"Eddie!" Sara looked at the blonde and laughed ironically "Yes, Eddie!" Catherine repeated. "You don't know half of the things he put me and other girls through, Sara. You ARE NOT LIKE HIM! YOU ARE NOT!" People all around the place were looking at them because of Catherine's screams but the blonde didn't care, and if she had to scream at Sara again, you bet she will.

Sara didn't say anything that could contradict Catherine's speech because there wasn't anything that anyone could actually say. Everyone who knew Eddie knew how unstable he was before he died.

Sara flinched at feeling a hand on her shoulder and she looked into Catherine's blue eyes. The anger was gone now and the only feeling there was love, true love. "What happened today happens to everyone babe, especially in our line of work, it not makes you a bad person" Sara smiled and nodded entwining their fingers. "Come on, let's get out of here"

"Where are we going?"

"I don't know, out" Sara paid for the game and her other beer and followed Catherine through the bar into the streets. It was cold outside and Sara closed her arms around her body tight.

Sara entered the blonde's car and put the seatbelt on. Tomorrow, she would come back and get hers. "Did you ever regret being with me, or was afraid that I would do something bad to you or anyone?"

Catherine looked at her and saw that Sara was being truly honest with her question. Catherine turned the brunette's face toward her and kissed her lips before answering.

"No. I don't regret being with you and I never will, Sara. You are an amazing person and I love and trust you with my life, with everything. You can doubt about whatever you want but not about my feelings for you, ok?" Sara looked down feeling the warm water behind her eyes and nodded. "And I wouldn't have come here in the first place if I didn't feel all that, this place gives me the creeps"

"No place gives you creeps, Catherine" Sara said laughing. "But thanks for saying that" Catherine nodded and wiped the tears from Sara's face. Catherine started the engine and drove them away from that place. "By the way honey, how did you know where to find me?"

"You told me about this place once, about being one of your hiding places, and I decide to come and check. Besides, I think that at this point – after everything we went through - I know you better then you do, Sara Sidle, and I love you"

"I love you too Cat" Sara answered, a smile forming on her lips. "_And there is nothing more I'd like than spend the rest of my life with you and_ _someday... someday I will have the courage to ask you to marry me. But for now, it good as it is"._


	9. September

It was the end of another shift and Sara decided to take a little pit stop at Grissom's office.

"Can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Sure, Sara, come on in" Sara closed the door behind her and walked over to the desk. "What is it?"

"I need you to give me a few days off next week. You know I have lots of days off to take, so it won't be a problem" Grissom nodded. "And I need you to do the same thing for Catherine" she completed before he could say anything.

"Both of you at the same time?" he asked looking above her classes. "Why?"

"I want to surprise her"

"Can't you do it at home? Honestly, Sara, I can't be without my two best csi's at once"

"But this is important. I want… to ask her to marry me" she said blushing hard at the end "It has to be at someplace special and without either of us being called in because of a dead body. Please, Gris! We are almost finished with our cases, so that won't be a problem"

Grissom thought about it for awhile, looking at Sara. He had never seen the brunette so happy like in the last couple of months, since she started dating Catherine, and if she wants to take this step further into their relationship – and he knows it's a very big deal to Sara to marry someone – who is he to say no? Her happiness is more important then anything to him.

"Two days, three at max, deal?"

"Deal" She said smiling from ear to ear. "Thank you"

"I hope everything goes as you plan, Sara, and I think is fair to say, congratulations"

"Thanks, Gris. Oh and one more thing" she said before leaving.

"Now what?" he asked with his left eyebrow up. Sara smiled.

"If you could keep this between us, I would really appreciate it. I want to ask Catherine at the right time"

"I can do that" he said with a smile, a genuine smile. Sara nodded and left the room. She was happy. No 'happy' doesn't make jus at how she was feeling. She finally found the woman she wanted to spend the rest of her life with, someone caring, beautiful, stubborn, special, who accepted her completely, with every fault.

The week passed by and Catherine and Warrick managed to close their case, a 'suspicious circ', and Sara, Nick and Greg finished their hit and run with a fatal victim on Thursday. They needed one more day to find the driver of the other car and nail him for leaving the scene. Now, it was in the hands of the attorneys to finish the case.

Sara picked up her stuff in the locker room and said goodbye to the guys.

"Where are you going, Sara?"

"There are some issues I need to solve, Nick, but nothing that you guys need to worry about".

"Wanna bet that whatever the issue is it involves a certain red-head?" asked Warrick when Sara turned around to leave. Sara smiled to herself and left with a big smile on the face.

She went to the parking lot and found Catherine already waiting, leaning against the SUV.

"I thought I'd be here forever until you showed up" she said closing her arms around Sara's neck. She didn't give time for the brunette to respond as she joined their lips together. Sara moaned and Catherine took the opportunity to taste Sara's wonderful mouth. They broke when the need of air became important. "I wanted to do this all night" Sara gave a quick peck on the blonde's lips before opening the car door. "We aren't even going to argue about who's going to drive?"

"Nope" Sara shakes her head "Get in"

"Ok then" Catherine buckled the seatbelt and Sara drove them to Catherine's place. "Aren't you going to talk to me, ask me how my night was, anything?" she questioned after long minutes of silence. There were times the silence was more then welcome, but not today. When Sara didn't say a word Catherine looked out of the window. "Can you at least tell me if I did something for you to treat me like this?"

"You didn't do anything"

"Ok, that's a start, then why are you doing it?"

"Sometimes being with you is enough to make me feel good, Cat. I like that and I don't need to talk".

"So what are we going to do today?" she asked looking at Sara with a smile. Sara laughed and soon as she stopped the car at the red light, she kissed the blonde shortly.

"You really want to talk, huh?" Catherine shrugged. She liked to play games with Sara. "Ok, this is what we are going to do: we will grab our suitcases at your place and go for a small trip"

"When did you arrange the bags and where exactly are we going?" asked the blonde with an eyebrow up

"Before shift, when you were in the shower"

"You were fast. I didn't take long on the shower this time"

"You always take long on the shower, Catherine"

"No, I don't"

"Yes, you do"

"No, I don't" Catherine said louder. Sara's eyebrow went up making both of them laugh. "Ok, sometimes I do take long, but is not in the shower. I have to take care of my skin, leave it softy for you, and don't tell me you don't like it when she is softy"

"Ok, I won't say it" they exchanged smiles with Sara focusing on the road.

"Where are we going anyway?"

"It's a surprise"

"The place is a surprise or what we will do there is a surprise?"

"Both and don't even try because I'll not say where"

"Come on, give a me clue, I love guessing" Sara shook her head side to side and bit her lips hard to make a point. Catherine closed her arms in front of her body and sink further in the seat. "You are not funny"

"This will not do any good, you know"

"I don't care, I don't like you anymore" Sara laughed making Catherine try harder not to smile. Sometimes Catherine wished she could stay angrier for longer. But she loves Sara so much that she can't.

After almost one hour, driving out of 'the big Vegas', Sara stopped at the gas station to stretch her legs a little bit and buy some snacks and black coffee.

"Do you want me to drive now so you can rest?"

"Nice try miss impatient" said Sara walking to the convenience store.

"I love you" shouted Catherine.

"I'm not letting you drive" was the response the blonde got it. Despise the anxiously and curiosity, Catherine was enjoying this trip. They were talking every now and then and Sara happily face was beautiful. When Sara came back to the car, she brought coffee to Catherine as well.

"Thanks" Sara nodded and they both entered the car. "Did you take Lindsey over to my mom's for a few days?" Sara looked at her in disbelief. "Of course you did, sorry; I'm just, I don't know…"

"Anxious? Nervous?"

"Yeah"

"Don't worry; I have the feeling you are going to like the place I'm taking you. Since we are not very far from or destination, I want you to put this on" said the brunette grabbing a bandana from her pocket.

"Thanks, Sara, my hair is really making me uncomfortable, flying everywhere because of the open window"

"Put that over your eyes. I don't want you to know where we're going before we get there." Catherine thought about saying no just to see the brunette's, but did what she was told. "You can't see anything, can you?"

"Nope. Totally black"

"You sure? Because if you cheat, we're going back to Vegas before you can say 'wait'"

"I got it"

Sara hoped Catherine enjoyed what she had plan, everything. She drove for a few more miles up the road until she turned onto a dirt road to the left. Catherine held the seat as if her life depended on it, but remained silent. She trusted Sara. Ten minutes, Sara killed the engine. Catherine let go of the seat, but before she could take the bandana off, Sara stopped her. The brunette stepped out of the car and opened the passenger side to help Catherine to get out.

"A few more steps, slowly, yes that's it. You can take it off now" Sara said staying behind the blonde. Catherine adjusted her eyes to the new clarity and read the plate in front of them "Green brook Stud farm"

"Oh my God" she said putting both hands above her mouth. "How did you…?"

"I called your mother to ask about that picture of you and Nancy on a horse together. When she told me the name of the place I did some research. I confess I didn't know it would be working until today but it is, so I booked us a room".

"You went to all that trouble for me?" Catherine couldn't believe Sara had brought her to this place, the place where so many memories were created, good memories, almost thirty years ago.

"It was no trouble, Cat."

Catherine was so excited that her eyes and face was glowing. "I know that Nancy and I remember this place, but I can't believe mom did too".

"She said you guys would come here on the vacation days, and that you would spend all day with your horse, his name was…"

"Ponytail" they said together.

"He wasn't really mine, but I always chose riding with him. He was beautiful and had a little white mark on his head" she said pointing to the place. "We had a great time together. He became my first real confidant"

Sara nodded looking at the small house at the top of the mountain "I don't want to you to forget about the time you were here with your family, Cat, or the good memories. But I would love to build new memories from this place. Our memories" Catherine was so touched by Sara's gesture that she strew herself against the brunette. The unexpected movement almost made them fall on the ground.

"This is the best thing anyone ever did for me" Catherine said kissing her lips. "The happiest moment ever"

"_I hope is not the last" _Sara thought. "Come on, we have to go up there by car. You can drive now, if you want"

"I can't, I don't wanna have an accident because I'm too happy to pay attention to where I'm going" Sara laughed and they climbed inside again.

They entered the big house and Sara asked for her cabin key. She had booked a room last week just to be sure.

"Last week? You have being hiding this from me since last week?"

"Would you be this touched, this happy, if you knew all along?"

"I guess not" Catherine whispered. "But you decided last week!" she pouted. Sara kissed the blonde's lips and looked the brunette behind the balcony,

"There you go, Miss Sidle, cabin number eight. I'll call Oliver when you're ready"

"Thank you. Come on, let's rest a little bit before you start showing me this place" Catherine didn't know if she could rest now but lying with Sara would be a good thing. She nodded with a hug smile.

The cabin was made of brick and wood and had a little terrace on the back. Inside there was a king size bed, an armchair, a closet, a mini fridge, and a bathroom, which has two sinks, a shower, and a hydro bathtub.

"It's good to see they decided to change things a little bit. It's a lot better than it was thirty years ago" Catherine said. Of course it was! They changed into something more comfortable and Sara closed the blinds so they could sleep. Catherine waited for her lover to enter the sheets before kissing her deeply. "Thank you, babe, thank you so much for this"

"It was my pleasure"

"I love you" Catherine rested her head on Sara's shoulder and sighed deeply. Sara. Her. This place. It was beyond perfection!

"I love you too"

*

Sara was the first to wake up. She stood there, admiring the beauty beside her. She felt so much for the blonde. So much love and trust and everything she thought she would never feel for another person. And although a part of her was afraid of the second part of her plan, and how this step would change their lives forever, the other part was walking in the clouds in happiness.

In the end Catherine felt asleep also because of the long shift but It didn't take long for her to wake up. They kissed each other over and over, until Sara said they needed to get up. Catherine, this time, didn't even ask what they were going to do. She was fine as long as they were together.

The girl at the front desk called for a man named Oliver who led both of the girls to the stable. Two beautiful horses were already outside, waiting for them. Catherine looked at Sara with a big the biggest smile on her face. Sara pointed to a black horse that Catherine would ride, that has also a thing in the forehead, and watched as the blonde got slowly closer, without scaring the animal.

"Do you guys want me to ride with you?" asked Oliver.

"I think we'll be fine, won't we?" answered Catherine now touching the horse neck. "What's his name?"

"Tornado" he said

"Tornado, that's a beautiful name you have. Don't run from me, ok?" Catherine put one foot in the stirrup and climbed on top of the animal. The animal remained still.

"I think he heard you"

"Oh believed me, they always do" Sara smiled at her lover and did the same with her horse, a brown one named Jones. "I never thought you knew how to ride" Catherine said in amusement.

"Well, the only way for me to follow you on your riding was by taking lessons on how-to-ride-without-make-fool-of-myself. So I did. Four lessons, actually" Sara began to move the horse slowly with Catherine just watching. "Aren't you coming?" she screamed looking back. Catherine kicked the horse's belly to catch up to her. This was heaven.

They rode on for a little while in a slow pace until Catherine decided that she wanted faster. She kicked the horse hard and tornado started walking at a high speed. Sara decided to watch her amazing lover though part of her wanted to try galloping. Catherine turned around and smile before pointing to a trail on the woods. Sara nodded and followed her inside.

Along the way, inside the woods, they found a small lake and Sara decided to stop for a little bit. They both climbed off of their horses and tied them on the tree so they couldn't run away. Sara sat on the ground, leaning on a big log. Catherine took a seat between the brunette's legs, her back against Sara. The brunette looked to the sky between the trees.

"This place is beautiful" Sara whispered.

"Yes it is. It's even more beautiful because you are here with me"

"You didn't have to say that, but good because I like being here"

"Why are you whispering?"

"Don't you feel it? The calm, the warm and nice weather, the smell of the trees… And then there are those little sounds around us, the water, the birds… it's so peaceful, Cat, so wonderful. It makes me want to close my eyes and feel everything. I know its sounds silly but…"

"It's not silly" whispered Catherine looking up. "I feel it too"

Her eyes were so intense and seemed to reach Sara so deep that the young brunette couldn't sustain eye contact for long. She smiled and closed her eyes just to feel the piece surround her.

She felt Catherine moving suddenly and opened her eyes. Catherine was face to face to her. She kissed the brunette before Sara could ask what was up. They shared short but passionate kisses. No one needed to rush things. Catherine ran her hands up, touching Sara's breasts intentionally above her shirt, without looking away from her eyes. When Sara took in a sharp breath, Catherine smiled against her lips. The blonde repeated the kiss and the gesture with more force this time and Sara let out a soft moan.

Catherine's hands found an entrance at the back of Sara's shirt and traveled up to unclasp her bra. She moved her hand away and raised the shirt up in front. Pulling the bra up, giving her just enough space to close her mouth around Sara's nipple. She sucked with devotion, licking the entire breast from time to time. She licked the way to the other one, giving the left breast the same treatment.

Sara's right hand found her hair and she pushed Catherine head down as her torso rose up. It was now Catherine's turn to moan. When Sara squeezed Catherine's scalp slowly, Catherine stopped and kissed Sara's lips again, both feeling their love as their tongues danced together.

"Lay down, babe" she whispered after kissing Sara's neck and up to her ear. "I want to touch you"

Sara looked at her surprised and amused. "You wanna do this here?"

"Yes, I do" Catherine wanted her to feel her love and Sara was more then willing to help. Sara lay as comfortable as she could and the blonde slowly opened the button of Sara's pants and unzipped. Sara pulled her pants down just a little bit to give Catherine better access between her legs. Catherine watched as her own hand slid under Sara's panties and she bit her lip as she came in contact with Sara's wet centre.

With one finger only, she ran the length of Sara's slit once, twice, three times, making sure she reached Sara's clit, but never really focus on it. Sara closed her eyes to feel Catherine's touch and slowly, without thinking, her hips started moving up and down in a slow pace. Catherine forced her finger into Sara's pussy, but as soon as she was inside, she pulled out.

"Please, babe… please…" Sara begged.

Catherine did the same thing a few more times before she finally entered her. Sara's internal walls closed around the new intruder. One look at the brunette rubbing her one breast, eyes closed and biting her lip, Catherine felt as if she was seeing the most beautiful creature in the world.

Every time Catherine was fully inside, Sara tried to run from the finger and when there was just tip of the finger inside, Sara pushed her hips into Catherine's hand. It was a perfect pace, in a magical place. Catherine sped up a little and saw Sara's hand let go of her breasts and past her belly to stimulate her own clit. The blonde took the hand away, making Sara groaned in frustration.

"Only you had to do was ask" Catherine whispered using two fingers of the free hand to do the job.

Sara's breathing became erratic. She tried to say something, to warn Catherine that he was ready to explode, but no sound came. But Catherine didn't need a warning. She was watching Sara's body language the whole time with love and she kissed Sara just before her body started convulsing, silencing her scream.

Catherine smiled and slowly helped Sara to fasten her pants.

"I can't believe I let you do that to me here," she whispered, still out of breath.

"Me neither" Catherine said with a smile.

"I never felt connected to so many things at once, including you. No, especially you" Sara said grabbing Catherine hand between hers. "I love it"

"It was amazing, honey" Catherine answered kissing her lips. "Come on, miss sensitive, we should get back and have something to eat"

"What about you?" Sara asked, standing up, her cheeks still very flushed.

"I'm perfectly fine for now"

Sara smiled and they both re-mounted their horses and headed back to the stable.

"Hello ladies, how was the ride?" asked Oliver with a smile

"Perfect, thank you" said Sara.

"Can we have the same horses tomorrow?" asked Catherine.

"Whatever you want, Miss Willows"

The two said their goodbye's and thanks to Oliver before walked back to their cabin in silence.

"I'm going to call and see if they have something for us to eat while you shower, ok?" Sara suggested.

"Sounds great. I'm really starting to get hungry"

"Yeah, me too"

The woman in the kitchen prepared a mini sandwich so they could wait until dinner time. She was shocked that they haven't eaten in a long time. Sara took her shower after the blonde and they stood watching TV.

During dinner, they talked about nothing too serious and as soon as they were back in their room, they curled together on the king size bed. Sara kissed her lover's hair whispering 'I love you' and they both drifted into a very nice sleep.

*

After a nice, full breakfast, Catherine and Sara went for a walk along the stud farm. Catherine told her more about the things that Nancy and she had done it in the past, and not just at this place. They were very close until Catherine turned sixteen and she met Eddie. Apparently Nancy didn't like the guy from the beginning, neither Catherine's mother. When blonde continued to hang out with him, Nancy stopped hanging out with Catherine.

Eddie was the one who introduced her to coke and the nights on strip clubs. He was the one who managed to get a job for Catherine in a club called "Little Darlings", where Catherine would work regularly for years. It's not easy to understand how Catherine decided to let go of her good life - with money, love and safety - for a life on the darkest sides of Vegas.

The sister friendship re-started when Catherine got pregnant and needed help raising Lindsey since Eddie was never around. Their bonds grew strong again.

Sara decided to use that moment to talk about the hardest case she worked in: Eddie's. She had never seen so much hurt and anger in Catherine's eyes as she did the night of the murder, or the day she closed the case (because she couldn't find the murder weapon). Sara had been just as devastated as Catherine, and she never forget the blonde's look of disappointment when Sara said that there was nothing more she could do. Sara had failed the only person she truly loves.

The brunette learned that Catherine didn't blame her for closing the case. Catherine understood that anyone in Sara's position would have done the same thing. They couldn't just create evidence that wasn't there. The reason was she was angry, hurt, and disappointed, was not because of Sara, but Eddie for leaving her daughter without a father, and for putting her kid's life in danger when the car fall on the river. Catherine may not love Eddie but he will always be Lindsey's only father. Sara understood that.

Despite being tough for both of them to talk about this matter, and to Sara to get all emotional, they seemed relieved. They didn't have anymore pendent issues in what it comes to work and their past - It was a good thing.

Sara asked Oliver where they could go for a long ride outside the stud farm and the guy knew just the right place, the only thing was that he had to go along with them. Catherine and Sara didn't see that as a problem and they left around eleven am for a five hour ride.

Oliver climbed off the horse indicating that they were there. "Wow! Look at this" exclaimed Catherine. At the other side of the mountain was a big canyon. It was beautiful and a part she didn't know yet. She was so enchanted that decided to walked closer to the cliff and take a better look.

"Cat, be careful." Sara warned disliking the idea. "Honey, please…"

"I thought you liked being on top, Sara"

"I do" the brunette answered blushing. "But I like to be on top when it's safe, ok? Which is clearly not the case here... Please"

"Just a few more steps, babe"

"Cat" Sara asked giving a step further "Don't you want spend the rest of your life with me, unharmed?" Catherine stopped her tracks but didn't turn or said anything. Sara looked down uncomfortable, that was not they way she had visualized asking this question but she was scared. She didn't want anything bad to happen to the blonde. She wouldn't survive with her.

"Did you ask what I think you asked?" said Oliver, breaking the silence. Sara looked at him with a smile and that was the only answer he needed. "I must say, I never saw anyone proposing like that."

"I wanted to do it properly, after dinner, but then again she gave me no choice but do something by heart so. I just did" she said, laughing in the end. "I just hope she say yes"

"Well, I think you will know her answer in a few seconds" he said stepping away. Sara turned around and saw Catherine walking toward them. She had a serious expression on her face which made Sara gulp.

"Cat, I'm…"

"Don't" Catherine said putting two fingers against Sara's lips. "Don't be sorry"

"I was going to say that I'm in love with you Catherine Willows, and I would love nothing more but to be with you forever. Will you marry me?" Catherine's bit her lips and she looked from Sara's mouth to eyes, and back to the lips. Catherine's hand went under the brunette's hair pulling their lips together. She kissed her leaving Sara completely breathless in a matter of seconds. Sara groaned as they broke apart.

"Is that a yes?"

"That, my dear Sara, was a hell of a yes" she said before kissing her more gently this time, and letting Sara have some fun as well.

They would have stayed kissing for a long time if it wasn't for a cough behind them. The two girls looked at Oliver who had arranged a small picnic on the floor. Catherine and Sara smiled to each other and sit closer. Oliver was going to give them some space but the girls asked him to stay, after all, he brought them there, to where their lives changed for better. Catherine told him about their story since Sara came to Vegas until now. There was no doubt that they went through a lot together, as couples or not.

Waiting for the food to settle down on their stomach the trio jumped back into their horses. Catherine was able to contain herself going slowly but it was just for a few minutes. She kicked her horse's belly, screaming and rode in high speed. Ass off the stirrup. Totally like a professional.

"Do you think I can do that too?" Sara asked Oliver. The guy smiled and hit the animal's butt giving the brunette no time to get ready. The horse started running and Sara did the only think she could: held the bridle firmly.

"Come on, Jones, let's show them how good we are" she said "Come on" Catherine heard a horse coming and looked behind. She was amazed to see Sara and not Oliver riding so fast. "Ha, I knew we could do this" the brunette said proud of her and the horse.

"That was good, honey, but I don't think you can beat me" Catherine said kicking the horse again.

"We will see about that" answered Sara.

They were back at the stud farm at half past five and, of course, Catherine had won the race. But, for the first time, Sara was happy about losing it. She got off Jones and caressed him before leaving him with another guy at the stable to take care of him.

"That was fun" she said with a kid expression in her face. Catherina laughed and hugged Sara from behind.

"Yeah, it was very fun and you were great at the galloping thing" she said kissing Sara's cheek.

"I was, wasn't I?"

"Great and incredibly sexy too" Sara turned and they kissed once. "Thanks for the ride, Oliver"

"Don't thank me. It was her idea. Oh, and congratulations with the engagement"

"Thank you" said both in union.

"He seems really fine about us being lovers" said the blonde walking back to the cabin.

"Yeah, I thought about that too. He was pretty nice"

"I didn't think people here thought this as a normal thing, although I don't know why they shouldn't. You think he could be gay too?"

"No, it doesn't seem like it. Maybe we can ask him later" Catherine nodded "Do you know what I want right now?"

"A kiss?"

"No, though it would be nice to have that too" said Sara cheerful. "What I really want is us sharing the bathtub. What do you say?"

"Sounds perfect to me"

*

Catherine was leaned against the bathroom wall in only her underwear while Sara showered. "Tell me again why we needed to shower first?" That was not what she had thought when Sara suggested and she hated to shower alone.

"Because this way we can relax and enjoy the tub without having to worry about getting cleaned up later"

"Ok, but why did you have to lock the door?"

"We would take too long if we did it together, honey, and you know it"

"Maybe, but I don't see why this should be a problem" Sara turned off the tap and wrapped the white thin cloth around her body. Sara unlocked the door and stepped out, looking at a very sad Catherine.

"Oh come on, don't pout" Sara said touching her lover's face. "We will have all the time in the world to shower together. Now, be a good girl and take yours while I fill the bathtub" she said turning around.

"What if I don't want you to do that?" said Catherine grabbing Sara's hip and pulling her closer to her body. "What if I want to do this?" Her right hand went inside the towel and she ran circles around Sara's belly button and down to her pubic hair. Sara bit her lip to stop a moan from escaping. "Or this" she raised her hand and squeezed Sara's nipple hard. Sara's body instinctively rose and Catherine smiled to herself. "You sure you don't want to be with me in there, so I can make you scream my name as I fuck you senseless?" she licked Sara's ear before biting her ear lob.

"Yes" Tough her knees were weak, her heart betting faster and her center pulsing. Sara managed to say a word.

"Yes?" Sara shakes her head up and down. "So if by accident I were to touch you between your legs, right now, you aren't going to be as wet as I am for you?" Catherine slipped the hand again and was almost there when Sara's hands stopped hers.

When Sara turned and looked at Catherine she saw a mix of hurt, confusion and sadness inside the blue eyes. She tried to reach the blonde's face to justify her attitude but Catherine moved away. She reached the blonde's arm but Catherine got free pretty fast and locked herself in the bathroom, turning the shower on.

"Come on, don't do this. Cat, open the door"

"You made yourself pretty clear, Sara. Now I want to have my shower in peace"

"That was not what I meant when I stopped you"

"Oh really and what was it then? Because to me it was you not wanting me to make love to you after you were the one proposing to me. Not the other way around"

"The only reason why I stopped you was because I didn't want to do that way. I love the way you make my body react to your caress Cat, and when you moan and squirm when I'm touching you… I never lied to you, Cat. I don't have a reason to start now. Come on, talk to me. Open the door"

Sara waited for what seemed like eternity for a sound, any sound from Catherine. She jumped when the door was unlocked. She stepped back so she could open the door and found Catherine sitting in the corner of the shower, crying.

"Honey"

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry for being stupid. I don't know why it hurt me so much when you stopped me. I mean, you have every right to do it if you don't want to, and that doesn't mean you don't love me, but I just… God, I can't stop these stupid tears!"

"You are not being stupid" Catherine shakes her head vehemently. Yes, she was and she didn't know why. Sara took a seat in front of the blonde holding her legs like Catherine was doing. "You are happy about us getting married. I could see it in your eyes"

"I am. I swear I am"

"But you are also really scared. I think after the initial shock and enthusiasm, you started thinking about what this step means. You thought about your last marriage, that it didn't work" Catherine looked down, ashamed for having those insecure.

"You loved Eddie, Cat. But he didn't love you enough to stay with you. After everything you went through for him, and with him; after every effort you put to have your family together, it wasn't enough. He left you. And I think at some point you thought that his leaving was your fault. Like you had failed as a woman and a wife and now you think you'll fail again. But let me tell you something: it won't happen like that, Cat"

"You don't know that, Sara" said the blonde, crossing her legs and looking down to her hands. "Eddie loved me at first and then he…" she stopped as the tears threatened to fall from her eyes.

"Whatever he felt, it wasn't love, Cat. Not real love and definitely not the kind that I feel for you. I want to build a life with you, a home, take care of a dog and a child, he didn't. He only wanted you to be…"

"His sex toy?"

"Yes. Something I'll never do with you. I'll make sure you never stop smiling again and to do that I'll have to stay around for a long time" Sara said putting a hand on Catherine thigh. "Come here" Sara said signed for the blonde to get up and then pulled her in for a hug. "It's ok for you to be scared. I'm scared too"

"You don't seem scared"

"I've never had a family, remember? Much less a loving one, so yeah, I'm scared alright. I love you and my love for you is bigger than my fear, Cat. Besides, I think it's fair to say that I had more time to think this over than you did" She said, letting her go and making sure Catherine was looking at her. "It will take time for you to get used to the idea and I'm ok with waiting before settling the date. I'll be here and I won't leave you Cat, not without a fight. I love a good fight!"

"Yeah, you do" Said Catherine half laughing, half crying. "Thank you"

"Don't mention it" Sara said kissing the blonde's forehead. "Everything will be alright as long as we stay together, ok?" Catherine nodded.

"I believe you"

"Do you want me to shower with you or wait outside?" asked Sara reconsidering the idea. She hated to see Catherine hurt.

"You can wait outside. I'll be ok"

"Are you sure?" Catherine nodded "Ok then"

"I love you, Sara. Never doubt about that, ok?" Sara winked at her and stepped away from the shower.

Catherine cried a little more but not from sadness but for having a wonderful woman in her life, and forever. While Catherine finished showing, Sara filled the bathtub with hot water, not hot enough to burn her skin, but definitively hot. Catherine joined her minutes later, sitting between her legs. Sara wrapped both legs around the blonde making the blonde laugh.

"What's so funny?" Sara asked.

"I just remembered that movie, with Julia Roberts and Richard Gere. 'Pretty woman'. Where she does the same thing you did now with him. It's cute."

"I don't think we are anything like Julia Roberts and Richard Gere"

"Definitely not" said Catherine laughing. "You are more beautiful than she is"

"Right" Sara said kissing the blonde's lips. Catherine laid her head against Sara and started playing with Sara's foot, as if it was the most interesting thing to do. She was calm now.

Sensing Sara move behind her Catherine asked scared "What are you doing?"

"Don't move. Just wait" Sara reached for the velvet box very well hided under the towel, and smiled. "I should have given this to you at the time, but things got out of control, so I didn't have it with me." Catherine heard something opening and looked to the box in front of her face. It was a gold wedding ring, no stones, no diamond, anything, but it was absolutely perfect.

She took it out of the box with shaking hands and read the message engraving inside said: 'to my eternal love, S'. Catherine bit her lip to stop the tears but the smile was clearly there.

"No real proposal can be complete without a wedding ring, right?" Sara asked feeling her own tears. "Let me do it" Catherine nodded and Sara carefully put the ring on her left hand. A single tear escaped as Catherine raised her hand admiring the ring. She turned around and kissed the brunette, long and deep before looking to her hand again.

"It's beautiful, babe, so beautiful…" Catherine smiled was about to turn and rest against Sara but the brunette had none of that. She pulled Catherine on top of her and closed the distance between their lips. They stood, kissing each other over and over again.

Sara adjusted her position in the tub and by doing that, so did Catherine, and she entered the blonde with her middle finger. Catherine screamed against Sara's mouth at the suddenly and painful movement.

"Tell me to stop and I will". Sara whispered knowing that her gesture hurt Catherine. She wasn't excited enough for that.

"I'm ok" Sara pumped her finger in and out, slowly at first. Then she added another one and sped up.

"Oh Jesus" Catherine said searching for Sara's lips as she tried to meet Sara's pace. "Ooh fuck… ooooh… yes, babe… just like that…. oooh… oooh…" Sara put both of Catherine's hands out of the bathtub before she reached her clit and pushed up. Catherine's body jumped and her head was thrown back. "Gaaaah"

"What was that babe? I didn't catch it" Catherine opened her mouth to answer but Sara didn't wait and repeated the gesture.

"Oh god, don't… the other way… please…"

"You mean like this?" she asked doing circles on Catherine's clit. Catherine nodded and relaxed. The pace, between the finger inside and the outside, made Catherine release in a matter of seconds, screaming Sara's name.

Sara rose up again, holding Catherine to her. She kissed her forehead, nose and lips. Catherine was too exhausted to speak. When they got up and Catherine legs didn't support her weight, Sara picked her up and led her lover to the bedroom.

She laid her down and started kissing and licking Catherine's body, everywhere. When Catherine started moaning again, Sara spread the blonde's legs and worked her tongue on her centre sending Catherine through another orgasm. She licked the blonde's pussy until she was dry and kissed her way up to her lips.

"You are mine" Sara whispered above her lips. "All mine"

"Forever" they said in union.

*

They still had one more day, according to Grissom rules of 'three days max'. So they rode in the morning for the last time, and after lunch they went for a swim in the lake. It was a beautiful, warm day.

They seemed like two teenagers in love playing in the water. Sara helped Catherine to dress and the blonde did the same, both controlling her hormones this time.

After watching the sunset, Catherine and Sara put their things back in the trunk and drove back to Vegas. They didn't talk much along the way, but it was clear by the way they looked to each other, that they were happy.

Happy about the life they shared and the thought of a new life as a wife, and a wife.


	10. October

**Hey guys, sorry it took a bit longer for me to uptade. I never celebrate halloween before, not once in my entire life, so i wasn't sure what to do... This is what I came up with.**

"Come on, Cat, let's go" screamed Sara from the doorway. "We want to have fun"

"Yeah, mom, hurry up. I won't win any candy if we don't leave now"

"And no candy equals no fun"

"I'm coming. I'm coming. Jeez…" said Catherine already going downstairs. "…Here I was thinking I had only one kid in the house"

"Now you have two and you like it" answered Sara kissing her on the lips. Catherine nodded with a smile. "Are you going to be a fairy?"

"A good witch actually. I already play the evil bitch…"

"Mom"

"Sorry, honey. I already play the evil one 313 days a year, so I think is fair that at least today I be a good one"

"You are not an evil person!" said Sara pretty serious. She hated when Catherine lowered herself like that.

"Tell that to the perps we arrested and to my daughter as well. I'm sure she thinks I'm a bitch every now and then" Catherine said whispering the last part in Sara's ear. "Did you grab everything you needed, sweetie? Remember, you are going to your aunt's house after we play a little"

"Yes, mom, I have everything. Including my pumpkin head"

"Why does she need a pumpkin head again?" Catherine asked turning the light off, setting the alarm and locking the door.

"Because it scares away the evil spirits and gives you ultimate protection" answered Lindsey. "Right, Sara?"

"Yes. The Celts believed that Halloween was a boundary between the living and the deceased, and the dead become dangerous to the living ones by causing problems such as sickness or damaged crops"

"Hum"

"The practice of dressing up in costumes and begging door to door for treats on holidays, like us, dates back to the middle Ages and includes Christmas wassailing? Trick-or-treating resembles the late medieval practice of souling, when poor folk would go door to door on Hallowmas receiving food in return for prayers for the dead on All Souls Day"

"I didn't know"

"Particularly in America, symbolism is inspired by classic horror films and, to a lesser extent, by science fiction. Elements of the autumn season, such as pumpkins, corn husks, and scarecrows, are also prevalent."

"How do you know so much about Halloween?"

"Because she is a genius, mom! And a genius knows everything" said Lindsey rolling her eyes at her mother's question.

"I'm not any genius. I just like to know about different things". Catherine nodded and continued walking. Sara grabbed the little girls arm stopping her.

"What?"

"Your mother may not know about Halloween but she is a very smart woman. One of the smartest I know. It's not fair that you make her believe that she isn't" Sara said making sure Lindsey understood the seriousness of what she was saying. "Don't do that again, ok?" Lindsey looked down and nodded a yes.

"Can I go to that house, please?"

"Sure. Just be careful" Sara walked closer to Catherine and held her hand.

They walked along the sidewalk with Catherine never leaving Lindsey's side. There was a bunch of kids on the streets and the lights from the houses weren't enough. In real life there aren't any bad spirits, but there are certainly bad people and Catherine would die if something happened to Lindsey.

While Catherine watched her little girl, Sara watched the blonde with discretion. She could see by a change in the blonde's posture that Lindsey's words have had some effect on her. And she hasn't said a word since.

"I never knew about this day until today. I was surfing on the internet while Lindsey was in the shower. To be honest, I never cared about this. Or any other date for that matter"

"I'm sure my mom told me once, but I didn't listen to her. Well that and other stuff too. Maybe I should have"

"There are more important things to know than this, Cat. So don't think for a second that you are not a smart woman" whispered the brunette without being able to contain herself much longer.

"Oh come on, Sara. You can't deny that she prefers to talk to you and ask things of you over doing those same things with me. You can't deny how brilliant you are either. Or how many stories you can tell her, the real ones or pure fiction. Well, it makes total sense her choice!"

"What do you mean?"

"What do I know about history, legends, and geography, anyway? While you were being the smartest person in your class I was taking my clothes off for a hundred bucks."

"You danced, but you went back to school, didn't you? You became a csi, one hell of a csi, and a great mother. You know more about having a life than I do, Catherine. You can teach her more about how to be a better person, how to form a life and have a relationship. So I'm sorry, but what you just said is totally unfair. And I know why Lindsey talks to me more then you and it has nothing to do with your intelligence."

"It has everything to do with the fact that I'm an absent mother. That I don't care about her because I work all the time"

"Damn it, Catherine. Stop being stubborn and listen to me!"

"I'm listening" said Catherine as she stopped walking and looked at her.

"She doesn't talk to you, because she is afraid of you. Afraid of disappointing you"

"This is absurd. Why would she…"

"She doesn't want her doubts about school, or anything else, affect how much you love her. In her mind, she has to know everything a kid her age should know, so she doesn't have to be scared of losing you. It is a normal fear, Cat. You, me, everyone has it"

"Are you saying that she talks more with you because she doesn't have to prove anything to you?"

"Yes, because I'm more like a friend to her than a mother"

"But I would never stop loving her. I always tell her that"

"It's an unconscious fear. She cares too much about what you think and she always will".

"How can I change that? How can I make her believe me and never doubt?"

"How should I know? You are the people person, not me. I'm just telling you what I see and what she tells me"

"Ok"

"Are you going to stop feeling sorry for yourself now?"

"Yes" Catherine said looking to the floor ashamed.

"Hey, hey, look at me" when Catherine doesn't move, Sara raised her face up. "Though it is beautiful when you get all sad and hurt, I like it even more when you are happy and smiling. There you go. Come on, I think we better follow Lindsey now."

"Oh my God, Lindsey! I can't believe I let my stupid fears get the better of me and took my eyes from my daughter. If something happens to her I'm going to…"

"Nothing is going to happen" said Lindsey right behind them.

"Hey, why aren't you at some house having fun?"

"Because I saw you guys stopping and I knew it wasn't safe to go alone"

"That's my girl" said Catherine pulling the little blonde into a hug. "I love you"

"I love you too, but can you let go of me, I need to breathe"

"Oh, I'm sorry"

"Why did you guys stop anyway?"

"Cause your mom started talking too much crazy things and Sara needed to put some sense in her head" answered Catherine smiling to the brunette. "But I'm ok now" she completed looking to the little blonde.

"Talk about what things?"

"I had this feeling that you like Sara more than you like me. Because she knows more stuff than I do"

"And she does, but you are my mother. So I like you more" Sara looked at Catherine almost saying 'what did I tell you'. "I thought you adults didn't have this kind of doubts"

"We do, Lindsey, all the time" answered Sara touching the girl's hair. "We just don't like people knowing"

"But we don't have to hide this from you anymore, do we, that we have doubts?" Lindsey shakes her head no. "Does that make you think low about us?"

"No"

"That's good. I'm glad we think the same"

"We do?" whispered Lindsey to Sara who has at her right side. Sara just nodded. "Oh, ok. Are we going to visit some other houses before we go?"

"That depends. What do you want to do?"

"I think I want to grab more candy with Jeremy"

"Ok then. Let's go get the car"

"That's my Catherine! All smile and happy" whispered Sara hugging her from behind "I love you"

"I love you too".

**tbc**


	11. November

**I didn't wait longer to post because the other chapter was very short. This one is bigger. And Smut, very smut!!**

Disclaimers: csi are not mine.

Special thanks to Kelly for being my beta on this. ;)

It was Catherine's birthday and they had invited everyone from the lab and Catherine's family to dinner at a pizzeria. This way the two women wouldn't have to clean the entire house after the party was over and there was no mistake about all of them liking pizza. Catherine was wearing a beautiful black dress along with the pendent that Sara gave her on Valentines Day. Sara wore a white shirt with enough cleavage for everyone to see and black pants, the ones Catherine had forced her to wear tonight because, according to the blonde, it molded Sara's ass perfectly. As for Lindsey, she was wearing a red shirt and jeans. She was pretty and seemed a lot older then she actually is.

Each one of them brought a gift for Catherine, and the blonde was more than happy to open them right a way, even if it was something embarrassing or intimate. Sara had never met someone who liked birthdays and presents like her beautiful and sexy lover. She got a book from Grissom, a beautiful diary from Warrick, a cd from Greg, another book from Nick, a pair of underwear from Sofia. Brass gave her a pair of sleepers, Catherine's mother brought her a new pair of sheets and Nancy gave her something that both Catherine and Sara wanted to buy, a radio to be used in the bathroom while showering.

Sara felt someone pulling on her blouse and looked down to Lindsey. The little girl didn't have to say anything for the brunette to know what she wanted. She blinked an eye and picked the small present from her purse. The little girl smiled a 'thank you' and walked around the table, stopping in front of her mother.

"This is for you"

"You didn't have to worry about bringing a gift, sweetie" said Catherine surprised and touched by her daughter's gesture.

"You don't want it?"

"Of course I want. Anything coming from you is special to me" Lindsey smiled from ear to ear and hugged her mother from behind as Catherine took a seat to open it. Catherine tore the paper off and found a small box with a beautiful pair of silver earrings inside. Her smile got bigger and she looked at Sara.

"Don't look at me, the only thing I did was drive her to the store, nothing more" Catherine looked around the table and saw Nancy who wasn't looking at the blonde but her face was all flushed. Busted!

"Thank you, babe, I love it" she said kissing the little blonde's cheek. Catherine took her earrings out and put in the ones that Lindsey gave her, and it actually matched with the dress she was wearing. "Well, I think we should order now" Everyone agreed.

"So what was your gift, Sara?" asked Greg.

"I didn't buy anything"

"Nothing?" Sara shakes her head from side to side.

"Isn't she mad?" asked Nick who was sitting in front of Greg and heard the conversation. "Because all the women I know - except you of course - gets really pissed when their lover forget their presents"

"Yeah but the night is still young, guys" They both opened their mouth in a 'oh' and exchanged smiles before they continued eating. Sensing her lover's eyes on her, Sara held Catherine's hand under the table and kissed the blonde's cheeks making Catherine blush.

"You know, Sara, you are the only one who can make her blush and not from anger" said Warrick with a smile. "It's impressive."

"I know, and I still can't understand why" Sara replied. Catherine repeated the brunette's gesture making Sara blushed as well.

"You girls are so in love" said Nick with a mix of happiness and jealousy.

"I'm sure you will find someone nice to be with, Nick" said Catherine smiling at him. "I mean someone as handsome as you can't be alone for long. Don't you think, babe?" Sara nodded vehement "My only advice is, don't try to sound like a teenager like Greg here with his bad jokes"

"Hey!" Greg said more loudly than he intended. Everyone from their table to the ones around stared at him. "My jokes are just fine. Everyone likes them"

"Actually we laugh just so you don't feel bad about it" said Warrick.

"Hey, stop playing with him" said Sara putting a hand on Greg's shoulder. "I like your jokes, Greg. Most of the time"

"Thanks a lot, Sara" he said sarcastically.

They eat and talk about everything except work which was a great idea.

"I'm going to change seats so I can be with Lindsey, ok? Just so she doesn't feel like I'm excluding her"

"I think that's a great idea. I love you"

"I love you too" Catherine answered giving Sara a quick kiss.

Seeing that everyone had already eaten the pizzas and were entertained into some conversation, the brunette got up from her chair without making a sound and walked away. Greg tried to ask where she was going but the brunette made a sign for him to be quiet. Greg nodded knowing what was going to happen, well, not what, but why Sara was leaving.

They were talking happily when the entire restaurant went dark. The light was back seconds later before anyone started panicking, but it went off again, longer this time.

"Mom, what's happening?" asked Lindsey scared.

"It is a light problem sweetie, but I'm sure they are working on it right as we speak. Don't worry"

"I don't like the dark"

"I know, babe, me neither" the light was on again and Catherine smiled at her daughter. Lindsey got up from the chair and took a seat on her mother's lap, hiding her head on Catherine's neck

"Maybe I should go see what's going on" suggested Grissom. Catherine nodded, mumbling a thank you, as trying to calm her daughter. But as soon as Grissom starts walking the light went off again and a female voice echoed in the room. It was sweet and perfect and totally different from the guy who was singing minutes ago.

_When you listen to my heart _

_Oh, I like it_

_When you touch me again_

_I get so excited_

_And I never thought that I would say_

_I'm upon away and so into_

_Every little thing you do_

"Mom, isn't that Sara's voice?" Lindsey asked seriously.

Before Catherine could respond the light was back and there, right in the middle of the stage in front of the microphone was the only and one Sara Sidle.

"Did any of you known about this?" Warrick asked. The guys shake their heads 'no'.

Catherine was too focused on the stage to actually listen his words. She always knew Sara was a great singer, but the brunette had never sung directly to her. It was more like when she was happy and didn't know people were listening than anything else.

_When you look at me that way _

_Oh it moves me_

_When you take my hand the love goes right through me_

_And the reason that it feels so good_

_Is because you put your heart into_

_Every little thing you do_

_You're the rhythm in my song_

_You're the switch that turns me on_

_The only place where I belong or want to be_

_You're the half that makes me whole_

_The only one who sees my soul_

_Baby it's so real but still I can't believe_

_Every little thing that you do to me _

As she sung Sara closed her eyes letting herself speak from her heart, meaning every single word. When she opened her eyes and looked at Catherine, she smiled before closing hers again.

Catherine was so touched by the words and Sara performance that she didn't notice she was crying. It was Lindsey's hand on her cheek that made her see that she was indeed crying.

"It is ok, sweetie, just let them fall"

"But I don't like to see you crying"

"I know, but I'm happy so, let's pay attention to Sara, ok?" Lindsey nodded and looked back to the stage.

"She is great, isn't she?" the little girl said.

"Yes" answered the older blonde, making another tear plop from her eyes. "She is amazing"

_You're the rhythm in my song_

_You're the switch that turns me on_

_The only place where I belong and want to be _

_Is with you __(Only you Cat)_

_You're the heaven that makes me hope_

_The only one who sees my soul_

_Baby it's so real but still I can't believe_

_Every little thing you do to me_

_Every little thing…_

_I like it_

Sara rested the microphone on her chest and look down, ending her performance. Applause was heard throughout the entire room, making her blush like a tomato. She thanked the band for the help and walked off the stage to go back to their table, to Catherine.

She was so focused on trying not to cry that she didn't see Catherine stand up from her chair and walk toward her, herself on the verge of tears, until they were face to face in the middle of the room.

Catherine didn't know how to describe how great she was feeling right now or how beautiful it was to hear the brunette singing to her, so Catherine did the only thing she could think of: closed the distance between their lips. Sara moaned at the simple touch and pulled Catherine's body as close as possible. Knowing where they were, the two stopped before things got hotter. While holding hands, they walked back to the table.

"That was excellent, Sara." said Nick.

"I didn't know you sang so well, Sara" said Nancy. "And I can't believe you never told me she had another great talent" she said to Catherine putting her hands on her hips and pretending to be angry, but failing miserably. They both started laughing and the rest of the crew followed. Sara looked down feeling embarrassed but extremely happy too.

"You are an excellent singer." said a man who was around the age of fifty. He was in charge of the place and was the one Sara had talked to earlier to arrange everything.

"Thank you, for letting me do this" she said putting a hand on Catherine's back. "I didn't know how to describe my love for you, so I thought it would be best if I just chose a song"

"It was a pleasure and I'm sure your girlfriend is more than happy"

"I am" answered Catherine looking at Sara with loving eyes.

"And I'm positive that everyone here will appreciate it if you sing for us again" Sara's mouth opened and closed but no sound came. She looked to her friends and they were all nodding vehemently, then she looked to Catherine who was smiling from ear to ear.

"Go ahead" Catherine said

"Are you sure?"

Catherine kissed her before whispering "Do it for me"

"Ok then" Sara let go of her lover and went to the stage. Who would have guessed that once in the stage, the shy, silent, timid Sara, would felt so strong and confident to share her beautiful voice?

"If she did all that for you, it's because she really loves you" said Warrick, hugging the blonde that was crying all over again. Catherine bit her lip and nodded, resting her head on Warrick's chest

"And I love her deeply"

After the dessert and a proper happy birthday song, the guys left because they had work to do, and they would cover the girls for tonight. Nancy, Lily, and the two kids went home because it was already late for them to still be up, and they had school in the morning.

"I think we should get going to" whispered the brunette in Catherine's ear. The blonde looked at her, eyes full of tears and nodded in agreement. Seeing the smile on the blonde's lips Sara smiled as well before taking a seat beside her and grabbed Catherine's hand.

"I feel so stupid crying like a baby" the blonde said laughing "but I can't stop them from falling"

"Then don't stop" Sara whispered kissing each cheek before locking their lips together. The kiss was short, but they both smiled in the end. "Do you want to wait or…"

"No. We can go" Sara nodded and helped the blonde to get up. They walked out of the restaurant and Sara asked the valet for their car. "Thanks for the nice dinner; I had a lot of fun tonight"

Sara opened the passenger door for Catherine before climbing in. She drove them to a hotel where Sara had made reservations two days ago. Neither of them said a word during the ride, just listened to the music on the radio and paid attention to the road. Despite the silence, they were both feeling happy and comfortable.

"I want you to wait five minutes before entering ok? Please" said the brunette stopping in front of the room. Catherine's eyebrow went up and Sara just unlocked the door with the card key before closing it fast so Catherine couldn't see the room yet.

"_Five minutes? But this will be like complete torture."_ the blonde thought, resting her back on the wall. "_I wonder what's she's planning to do?"_

When the clock showed that it had been, in fact, more than five minutes, Catherine opened the door without even bothering to knock. What she saw inside took her breath away. Her eyes open, eyebrows almost hitting her hair line and her mouth drop no matter how hard she tried not to.

Standing right in the middle of the room was Sara only in red panties. But that wasn't the best part; the best part was that Catherine could see Sara's body from every angle she looked because of the mirrors placed all over the walls. Catherine could still remember their conversation about doing this and how much Sara disliked the idea.

Flashback:

_Catherine was reading her book, __resting comfortably on her pillow at the top of the bed when Sara left the bathroom after a long, hot shower. Catherine noticed her lover's intense stare and couldn't help by smile, though her eyes were still focused on the book. Sara's love is so honest and real, like she never felt from any other loves, especially Eddie and Catherine would do anything for the brunette without batting an eye;_

_Sara threw her robe on the chair and climbed on the left side of the bed, on her stomach. "I have a question for you"_

"_Ok" the blonde said resting the book on her lap. Sara contemplated Catherine's feature for a few minutes, the tiny glasses a little down Catherine's nose leaves her face even more beautiful than already is and. "Well, what is it? Coz this book is really nice, you know" she teased_

"_What do you want to do for your birthday?" _

"_You mean in three days from now?" she asked smiling. Sara rolled her eyes before nodding. She had never met someone who liked so much to make Birthdays like Catherine. "Do I have options?"_

"_You always have options. A big party, a small party, a party for two all night, or a dinner in some place nice and beautiful. Again you can decide if you want your family and the guys from the lab or not"_

"_Let's see… what I would like the most…" Catherine looked out of the window, her index finger taping on her lips. What a charm. Sara can't help but laugh silently and crawled up to steal a kiss from the blonde's lips. Catherine smiled and answered. "A dinner would be lovely, with everyone, and then a special party for two"_

"_Of course, we have that option too"_

"_But I don't want to be in here"_

"_Ok" Sara said waiting for Catherine to continue sharing her thoughts. The blonde puts the book on the bedside table along with the glasses before sliding down on the mattress, stopping when she was face-to-face with Sara. _

"_I want a room full of mirrors, over the wall and over the ceiling so I can look at our bodies together from every angle, from every position we decide to make love. I want to see everything" Catherine whispers the last part in the brunette's ear and lay back down smiling. _

_What she saw in the brunette's face was not something she expected, she was… s__hocked in a bad way. _

_Sara smiled apologetically, realizing that the blonde was able to read her face pretty well, and sat on the edge of the bed with her legs off. Catherine sat on her knees and touched Sara's shoulder slowly, making sure the brunette saw the gesture and didn't freak out. _

"_I don't… I mean… why? Why would you…" Sara struggled with the words feeling extremely uncomfortable and weak. Two things she hated to feel especially when being so close to Catherine._

"_Why would I want to do that?" said Catherine very calm and trying not to sound too hurt by Sara's negative response. "I love you, Sara, and that was something that crossed my mind, but we don't have to do it"_

"_When it crossed your mind?" asked Sara looking at her, trying to find something, anything, that could make her feel good again. Catherine noticed the confusion and the fear inside the brown eyes and felt her eyes starting to water. She fought them back knowing she had to be strong for Sara, or at least she had to try. _

"_That night you came back from work, and you tied me on the hook behind the door, you asked me not to look at you. Remember?" Sara nodded. "And I didn't look, not once and it was so perfect, Sara, the way you took care of me, made love to me that it left me wondering… what if I did see you? Would it be just as great as it was? Would be better or just the same?" _

"_I don't know." Sara mumbled felling her own tears._

"_Me neither". Catherine rested her head comfortably on Sara's shoulder. The brunette pulled the blonde's arms closed in front of her stomach. "But there is only one way for us to find out" she whispered. _

_Sara understood Catherine's wish but she didn't know if she, Sara, would be able to do that. She feared that the memories behind the scars - that she will see from every angle, every mirror - will jeopardize her performance with Catherine, and she doesn't want that to happen._

"_It's too big of a risk to take, Cat" said the brunette resting her head on Catherine. "And I… I don't want to ruin our moment together. I'm sorry"_

"_Why would you ruin our moment?" the blonde whispered squeezing her nose on Sara's neck. "I love you, Sara. I love making love to you and the feel of your hands and your mouth working so wonderfully on my body. There is no way you will ruin the mood". _

"_What if I freak out… just like I did now by thinking…?" Sara trade off and sighed deeply._

"_Thinking about what?" Catherine said trying to look at the brunette's eyes._

"_That I will see my father beating me, all over again, when I should be working on satisfying you, me, and us" said Sara turning her body and touching Catherine face. "I don't want that to happen, Catherine, I don't". Catherine felt a lump in her throat at seeing a single tear run down Sara's cheek. She thought a lot before giving an answer, if she said the wrong thing, it would hurt Sara even more and she didn't want that._

"_I can't promise you that you won't remember him when you see the scars that you want so much to hide, and you have every right to never want to see them again, honey, but I will be right there with you. I will help you to deal with whatever bad thought comes back to you. If, if they come back. And if, even with my help, you still fell that you can't do it, that I'm asking too much, then we won't do it. We will leave the place and came back to here where you feel safe enough to do it". _

"_But you will be disappointed if we came back… If something goes wrong"_

"_No, Sara"_

"_Yes you will, Cat, and I will be too because I'm the one responsible for ruining your night. I can't do that, I can't, I'm sorry" _

"_I know. But… don't you think that maybe everything will be just fine? That you will actually like it__ and that… you will finally push away your father's ghost forever?" Sara looked away thinking about the blonde's words. She had never thought about it like that, she'd like to push away everything that reminded her of him. It was too painful._

_Realizing that Sara was really thinking this through, Catherine__ was satisfied. Usually she couldn't make Sara stay in the room after talking about something that hurt the brunette deeply. She got inside the sheets and signed for Sara to snuggle against her body. _

"_I'll accept whatever answer you can give me, Sara, and I promise you, everything will be just fine"_

"_I hope you're right" Sara mumbled before closing her eyes. _

_Catherine stayed, looking to the woman in her arms, feeling the tears run down her cheeks. She was disappointed at first__, when Sara didn't agree with her idea, but she couldn't deny that the brunette's reasons were real, or how much they hurt Sara, and by hurting Sara, it also hurt her. _

_End of the flashback._

Catherine knew she had pushed Sara too much when the brunette didn't say anything the next morning. So she thought that not saying anything was already her answer. Yet, here they were, almost naked in a room surrounded by large mirrors. Catherine walked toward the brunette, removing her dress, and her hand went behind the brunette's neck before bringing their lips together.

The kiss, at first, was slow, sweet; a gentle meeting of flesh, reacquainting themselves how much they love each other, but soon Catherine was inclined to deepen the kiss. A flick of her tongue along the seam of her lips let Sara know she wanted entrance.

A wordless sigh had Sara capitulating. Catherine slowly flicked her tongue inside, caressing first the smooth surface of her teeth, but soon delving inside further to investigate all the recesses of her mouth. She stroked across the inside of Sara's cheeks, tickled her, before tangling her tongue with hers. Kisses like this were meant to be savored.

For long, incredibly slow moments, all Catherine did was stroke and rub her tongue against hers, sliding and sweeping across the smooth surfaces. Sara groaned and instinctively pressed the blonde's hips into hers. Both were breathing heavily, gasps filling the large room when they finally separate.

As they broke apart Catherine's mouth went to the brunette's neck and shoulder making Sara's knees goes even weaker (if that was possible) and a moan escape from her lips. Catherine held her closer licking her way to Sara's ear. "You sure you want to do this?" she asks

"Yes"

"This is not just because of me, is it?"

"Does it matter?" asked Sara searching for the blonde's eyes.

"It matters to me" Catherine answered honestly looking up. Sara smiled and touched her lover's hair putting a few strands behind her ear.

"This is about you, but is about me too. I'll be lying if saying it never crossed my mind to do this but I got scared and I pushed the thought aside but… I know deep inside that if something goes wrong tonight, which I hope doesn't happen…"

"Me too" Catherine said anxiously, crossing her arms behind the brunette's neck.

"…if it really happens, I know you will be with me in the morning and as long you are with me I'll be just fine" Sara says traveling her finger on the blonde's arms. When Sara look diverged from the arm to Catherine's eyes the blonde couldn't help but gasp at the intensity of love she saw in the brown eyes. Sara smirked before kissing her again.

Catherine felt the heat surfacing in her entire body and she moaned long and low. Sara kissed her neck down to her breasts and pushed the bra aside just enough to use her mouth on it. Her tongue worked slowly at first before biting wining a moan from Catherine. The blonde pulled her torso more into Sara's mouth holding her head in place as if she was going to escape, but that was exactly what Sara wanted. She sucked and bit the left nipple with devotion.

The sensations in the blonde's body are so overwhelming and her centre is trembling so hard that Catherine doesn't know it she can stay still for much longer. "Sara"

The brunette puts this part of the bra back ignoring Catherine's plea and repeated the action on the other nipple. Catherine become even more impatient. She would let out small noises every now and then but, at the same time, she didn't try to stop Sara. It was too fucking good.

She sighed in relief when Sara stepped back for a split of second. "Go ahead, touch yourself." Sara purred in the blonde's ear from behind.

"What?" Catherine asked more loudly then she intended. She watched Sara's face on the mirror but there was no mistaken of the seriousness in her request.

"Put your hands under your panties and feel how wet you are" she said "Brush your fingers over your slit and focus two fingers on the top of your centre, flipping over and over until you feel yourself coming"

"And then what?" Sara smirked seeing that Catherine was willing to do that.

"You will see it" That was not what she wanted to hear but Catherine nodded anyway. She was about to go to the bed when a hand stopped her. "Oh no, you are doing right here"

"But Sara, I need…"

"You said to me once that you like when I made you play by my rules and you wanted to know what it feels to see me doing it again so now you will"

"That was not what I meant and you know it" Catherine argued. This all thing was extremely exciting and was leaving Catherine more and more desperate for her release but she wanted Sara to do it. She needed Sara!

"Don't make me punish you for being a bad girl, Catherine, because that won't be nice, for either of us. Now, Catherine!" the last sentence came with a shout making the blonde jump. Catherine swallowed hard and slowly, very slowly, without taking her eyes from the mirror she travelled her hand down into and under her panties. She bit her lips to stop a moan from coming as she came in touch with her warm and wet centre. She couldn't help but rest her back on Sara's as she did what she was told.

"Harder" said Sara.

"No"

"I said harder!" she repeated slapping Catherine's butt making her scream. Catherine did it and Sara held Catherine body closer as the blonde was clearly losing focus and couldn't stand anymore. She was almost there.

When Catherine opened her mouth to scream in ecstasy Sara took the hand away.

"Oh for Christ's sake Sara!"

"Lay down on the bed, now!" Catherine looked at her really pissed because damn, she needed that release, but did it anyway "Oh no, leave your panties on, I want your legs to be closer as I take you"

Catherine obliged and Sara found her opening very soon pushing two fingers in once motion inside her.

"Oh God" they both scream in union. Sara rested her body on her elbow beside Catherine and pumped the finger in and out of her wet core. When Sara found the perfect spot and touched her clit, almost at the same time, Catherine's entire body rose up and she screamed as her head started spinning. Sara left her fingers inside for a little while, slowing her movement until they became still. Catherine blew the hairs off her face and Sara helped at putting them completely off. Then she took her hand out of the blonde and rested on the pillow at the top of the bed.

"I'm sorry about the slap" the brunette whispered. Catherine turned and pulled herself above Sara, one leg on each side of her body.

"I don't care about that, I care about this" She grabbed Sara's hand and rested above her heart as she tried to regain her breathing. What Sara did to her was so fucking amazing that she had no words to describe how she was feeling (again).

Sara sat up with Catherine very closer to her, bellies almost touching, and looked at the blonde. She didn't need Catherine to speak because she could see the look of satisfaction on the blonde's face. They closed their lips and start playing like they were kissing but not actually doing it, Catherine was going to relax even more before Sara could do the other thing she wanted to do.

Laying the blonde on the other side of the bed Sara kissed and licked Catherine's belly while her hands trailed up and down the sides of Catherine's body. The blonde's hand caressed the woman's back passing by the scars and trying very hard no to focus on them. She wanted to, but not because she was ashamed of Sara or disgusted, but because the scars were the symbol of someone who worked very hard to became what she is, someone that Catherine was very proud to be with.

"What is it?" Sara asked when Catherine's body stopped responding in to her caresses.

"Nothing" the blonde responded with a smile resting her hand on each side of the brunette.

"Tell me"

"It is nothing, babe, really" Sara looked to the blonde not believing in her and then to the mirror where she saw the exactly place Catherine's hands were. "No! Look at me! Look at me, Sara" called the blonde seeing Sara's eyes get darker with the memories of her beaten. Sara blinked a few times, a bit disoriented and looked at the blonde under her.

"I'm sorry if I caused you this, I didn't want to, I was just… happy"

"Happy?" Sara repeated thinking she had heard wrong, but apparently she hasn't. "Were you happy about what?" asked Sara seriously

"About me, you, about us... I love you and I love being here with you" Sara smiled softly and nodded tracing small circles around Catherine's navel. But she couldn't help to be a bit shaky; she had succeeded at blocking the memories but one single look and… "Hey, don't try to rationalize this, please" Catherine asked touching the brunette's face. "Let's just enjoy what you do to me and yourself while touching me, kissing me… ok? It will be better if we do this" Sara nodded with a smile and worked kissing Catherine's belly and right above the panties.

Catherine's body shivers in appreciation. Sara took Catherine's panties off and threw them somewhere in the room, leaving just the bra. Sara kissed her way along the blonde's thigh to her centre inhaling the essence of her lover. She watched intensely as she worked a finger on Catherine's folks like she was a kid discovering something interesting for the first time. She knew how much Catherine loved when she did that, it made her few like it was about love not just sex. A loud scream escaped from the blonde's lips when Sara pinched the top of her centre hard without warning. Before she could be able to look at Sara with a deathly glare, Sara's tongue got in touch with the exactly place. Catherine groaned and moaned as her hips lifted off the bed. Sara held her down with her arm and licked up and down her pussy.

"You taste so amazing, babe…. So amazing…"

"Sara" Catherine moaned hugging the sheets for dear life. She was going crazy and crazy with the amount of sensations floating over her body but she wasn't entirely satisfied.

Sara closed the blonde's leg and put them up while sitting on the bed. She rested them on her shoulder and Catherine looked at her with confusion. Sara smirked evilly and focused only her thumb on Catherine's clit, pressing harder and faster.

"oooh fuck… ohhh shit…" she screamed trying to open her legs again. The sensations were too much to keep under control and Catherine could feel her clit burning. Sara hugged her legs tighter and kept going, knowing that this will make the orgasm have more effect on Catherine even with the initial pain.

"Sara… I'm going to…" Sara knew that and she was expecting for it to happen. Sara watched Catherine's entire body convulse and some of her juices expelled from her body into Sara's mouth, which was right on place. Catherine didn't have return totally from her high when she felt Sara's tongue working so furiously on licking her opening and trying to get more from inside of her. The brunette really wanted to kill her with pleasure.

"Sara, I need to down my legs, now, please" Sara agreed and stopped face-to-face with Catherine.

"You ok?" she asked unsure.

"I can't believe you did that!" the blonde said trying to sound nauseated but failing miserably as the smile got bigger on her face. She was stunned by the way Sara treated her, so great.

"Me neither but it seemed like a good idea"

"And…"

"I know that if anyone would have seen it would think it was very gross and would probably feel bad about it…"

"Of course they would, but that was not what I want to know!" Sara laughed at Catherine real concern about if she liked it or not. How could she dislike her lover's ambrosia?

"Yes, it was good." she answered kissing the blonde's lips. "Very good" Catherine smiled against the soft lips and kissed her back.

Sara's body bucked and a moan escaped from her lips as she felt Catherine's leg being forced against her centre.

"I think now it's my turn to make you scream"

"Oh yeah, and how do you plan on doing that?" Catherine crashed their bodies together. Sara' confusion by the sudden movement made her succeed at switched their position on the bed.

"Are you challenging me, Sidle?"

"What if I am?" Sara asked smirking evilly. Catherine got off the brunette looking really pissed which made Sara gulp and think for a second about what she had done. Catherine turned Sara's body so she was laid on her stomach and pressed her body hard on the brunette.

"You had a lot of courage challenging me, Sara, I'll give you that, but no one who challenges me stays unpunished!" she whispered. The words 'no one who challenges me' echoed in Sara's mind like a déjà vu. Catherine bit Sara's ass, harder, making her jump and she closed her eyes harder. She didn't scream however and by not doing that Catherine did the same with the other.

Sara's wrist were closed and a million things were running in her mind as she tried to block way the memories; "She is not my father. She is no my father!" repeated her every time she thought otherwise. Catherine forced a finger into Sara's opening without warning and Sara tried to run away from the finger like it was on fire, unsuccessfully. "No! She is not… him. She will never…" she was so way that when Catherine pushed not one, but two fingers inside of her, Sara's torso rose up and she screamed louder.

_Tears started to run down her cheeks as she turned away from the person on top of her and tried to sink her head __in the pillow. _

"_Dad, no!... please stop… stop… " the little Sara said sobbing. She wanted to scream but her voice came more as a whisper than anything else._

"_Did I say you could speak, Sara?" he said closer to her ear moving his finger faster and further inside. "I didn't, did I?" Sara shakes her head from side to side vehemently. "That's right, and you know what will happen if you speak again, don't you? Or did you forget my last visit?" Sara answered the same way._

_How could Sara forget that night, the night he entered her from behind and she felt the most intense pain of her entire life?_

It took Catherine a few minutes to realize that Sara's body was silently shaking under her. When she did notice however, she took the hand off immediately. The feeling of being inside of Sara was so amazing, it felt like if she was a master queen, that she completely missed the meaning behind Sara's only loud scream. Not from appreciation but from real pain. Pain that brought back everything, the blonde knew that.

Instead of speaking with Sara, Catherine focused one of her hands doing circulars movement on her back, slowly trying to get Sara relaxed. She thought if she tried a direct approach Sara would panic and everything they did, or have, until now will be destroyed because she didn't see it. She didn't see it and she promised she would have.

It took awhile but the gesture actually helped because Sara's torso wasn't rigid anymore. Catherine rose Sara's hips millimeter off the bed so she could travel her hand from Sara's stomach in to her centre, slowly touching Sara's sex. Sara got startled by the subtle movement and opened her eyes. Their looks found each other in the mirror and they sustain that, as Catherine kept going, touching slowly and sweetly.

Sara's wrists slowly relaxed on the mattress as she felt the excitement and the love become stronger as her father's memory dissipated. Catherine could feel the brunette's process because Sara's centre became wetter than before and her hips relaxed. Catherine smiled silently mumbling 'I love you' as she increased her speed.

When Sara rested her jaw on the bed and looked forward Catherine followed with her eyes. That was the meaning of this place, to see each other respond to their loving touch. Sara's body contracted again but not from pain or hurt and she start moving her hips against the blonde's finger. Opening and closing her mouth Sara could feel the beginning of an orgasm building inside of her. Catherine's eyes were glowing and her smile was the biggest she could perform. Sara threw her head back and closed her eyes.

"Don't stop" she whispered feeling Catherine's hand retract. Sara searched for the hand moving her hips up. Catherine put it back in place wining a moan from Sara's throat. Sara bit her lips, smiling this time.

"You feel so great, babe… so great" Catherine whispered planting a thousand of soft kisses on her back and up to her lips. Sara smiled bigger and with one hand she opened the top of her centre larger so Catherine could add another finger, pressuring faster. "I love you" And Sara loves Catherine so much and she wants to say but can't because he was to closer now.

Sara's body contracted and relaxed after the second orgasm floated on her. She spread her body on the mattress breathing heavily. That was sensational.

Sara opened her eyes when two soft lips touched the skin of her shoulder; she looked at Catherine with a smile turning her body up. They didn't say a single word, just laid looking in each other's eyes and letting them show the truth about their feelings. Sara's hand touched the blonde's hair bringing their lips closer. Catherine smiled against it and then pushed her tongue inside the brunette's mouth, a loud moan escaping from both of them.

Catherine cupped Sara's right breast in her palm flicking her thumb over it. She couldn't help but touch her because of how much she felt for the brunette - love, admiration, happiness. Sara moaned arching her back to push herself closer to Catherine. Catherine broke the kiss, surprised by the move, and looked down trying to see if she could continue.

Sara nodded and watched as Catherine began to lick down Sara's stomach, pausing to nip at the most sensitive part on Sara's body, her breasts and navel.

Catherine slid her tongue through Sara's slick folds, loving the taste of her lover. She moved up to lave at the hardened bundle of nerves, as Sara's hips bucked against her. _God, she tastes so great… delicious… _Catherine's mind spoke. Sara gripped the sheets, bunching them in her fists as Catherine worked perfectly on her. Her torso rose up and a loud moan escaped from her throat.

Satisfied with what she got, Catherine laid down on the mattress. She couldn't help but think how lucky she was for having such a great woman with her, someone who overcame her fears and her past without giving up. Sara imitated Catherine's posture and said nothing, knowing that she was lost in thought. When she noticed she was being watched, Catherine looked up and smiled one of her brightest smiles she has.

Sara's eyes started to get heavier and heavier and she fell asleep. Catherine smiled at her beautiful and so strong lover before she turned off the light and drifted to sleep as well. She had succeeded at breaking Sara of her trance and fixing her own mistake.

Catherine woke up slowly after a very nice of sleep and tried to move her arms but couldn't. She opened her eyes and saw the back of Sara's head in front of her. They had moved during the night and Sara just pulled her arm totally over her stomach, like if she needed some reassurance that she wasn't alone. Catherine smiled internally and tried to take her arms off without waking the brunette. No such luck though. As soon as she managed to lift the hand Sara grabbed her again and pulled back down even more under her body. Catherine couldn't stay like that, otherwise her arm was going to start hurting very soon; she had to make Sara move from her position somehow.

She took the brunette hair of her neck and start blowing some cold air over it. Sara shivered and squirmed pulling her hand closer to her head and by that freeing Catherine's arms. Catherine was about to leave the bed when Sara spoke.

"I love when you make me shiver" Catherine was surprised at hearing her voice not so asleep anymore and the two brown eyes looking right at her. She got closer again and blew some air on Sara's back. Sara's entire body shivered and she moaned in delight.

"How long have you been awake?"

"I woke up when you moved your arm. But I thought I should play with you a little bit" she said turning her body over and smiling shyly. "I have to say, the blowing thing was very original, I would have ever thought about doing that"

"What would you have done?" Sara looked down to her hand thinking about it.

"I probably would call your name, touch your hair, kiss your back or your face…"

"Those are very nice ways of waking up, but that was not my intention with you" she said kissing the brunette. Sara nodded and continued staring in to the blonde's eyes.

"I had a wonderful time last night, thank you" the brunette finally said.

"You don't need to thank me, sweetheart. I had a great time too and everything I did was for us, and if I have to do it again, I will. I love you" Sara felt her heart being filled with joy and tears threatened to fall. She got up from the bed putting a hand under Catherine's hair before bringing their lips together.

Sara devoured Catherine's mouth as her hand played with the blonde's right nipple, squeezing it softly then harder from time to time. She laid them both back on the bed and continued her assault on Catherine's body, kissing her neck to the pulse point. A loud scream came from the blonde's throat as Sara bit there.

"Sara" she called in a whisper. Sara groaned. "If you really want to do this then don't tease me this time, please just take me"

"Only if you take me as I take you" she whispered against her lips. She couldn't stop kissing Catherine, her lips were like a drug she needed every moment of every day. Catherine ran her hands down Sara's body stopping at her sex. A moan escaped from both of them as she found Sara totally open and wet for her. Sara adjusted her finger in Catherine's opening while the blonde did the same.

"On the count of three" Sara said smiling and making sure her eyes were focus on Catherine. "One… two… two and a half… Cat" she said liking her lips as the finger entered her. But she disliked the fact that her finger was still off the blonde.

"I thought I heard you saying three. Sorry"

"Of course you are" Sara kissed the blonde and when she saw Catherine was too involved with her tongue, she entered Catherine's core with two finger in to once, making her torso rose off the bed as she screamed louder.

Sara took them out and thrusted with full force. She repeated the gesture a few times until she wasn't out of Catherine anymore, just fully inside. Catherine was so absorbed by the sensation Sara created on her that she simply forgot that she was inside of Sara as well.

"I need you to feel you moving with me, babe" she whispered touching the blonde's face "I desperaly need you to make me come" Catherine looked at her to make sure she heard correctly. She sucked Sara's ear lobe into her mouth as she pumped as fast as she could.

"Oooh yes, babe… that's perfect… ooh it feels so good when we do it together…"

"It does, doesn't it?" Catherine asked pulling Sara's body tight against her and pushing faster.

"…ooh fuck… yes, yes… together… ooh…." This moment was so magical, so powerful that Sara couldn't believe they haven't done that in a long time.

"Sara… oh Sara… I'm… oooh fuck Christies…"

"I know, babe… I'm feeling it too…" Sara brushed her thumb faster on Catherine clit, making her tremble harder. Catherine was trying to do the same thing but with some difficulty as she was loosing control. To finally send the blonde over the edge, Sara used her lips to bite Catherine's nipple. As Catherine's body started to convulse, her hand moved as well inside of Sara that made Sara come seconds later.

After coming back from the high, Sara lay beside Catherine, exhausted. She had just woken up but she was exhausted. Catherine sat up again and looked at her lover "That was great baby. But can I really go to bathroom like I planned on doing when I got up?" she said.

"Oh, so that's what you were trying to do?" Sara asked playing numb. "Well, I can't say I regret stopping you"

"Believe me, I can't say that either"

Sara watched Catherine walk to the bathroom by the mirror and pulled one arm under her head, sighing deeply. Despite having hard moments during their last night's activities Sara knew that the night, as well as this morning, will be forever engraved in her mind like one of the best moment of her life. Just like the first time they saw it each other, the first love making and the marriage proposal.

"I'm thinking of showering. Do you wanna come to?" Catherine asked. Sara looked at her, not actually understanding the words; after all she was having great memories at this moment. Catherine sighed to inside the bathroom and asked "Yes or no?"

The brunette didn't think twice before jumping off the bed. "I guess that's a yes!' Catherine said with a full smile.

**tbc...**

Just one more chapter to go....


	12. December

**here you go, the last and final chapter. i hope you all have enjoy your "a year in life" about our favorite characters. ^^  
**

The house was fully decorated. Flowers and candles dispersed around the living room and a big Christmas tree that Lindsey and Sara had bought last week for Christmas in the corner, closer to the window. The two had spent an entire afternoon trying to find the one Lindsey liked and another entire morning hanging ornaments and putting ribbon around it. The table in the middle of the living room and the dinner table were beautifully decorated and it was all Catherine's work.

Sara was resting her back on the sink as she watched her lover go from the kitchen to the living room again and again and again. It was Christmas day and there were still things that Catherine wanted to put on the tables before the guests arrived.

"You sure you don't need a hand?" the brunette asked.

"No!" repeated Catherine for the second time in less then five minutes, smiling.

"But you're going to be tired even before the party begins if you keep walking like that"

"I won't be tired, and I would have accepted your help if you had let me decorate the tree as well. But no, you wanted to be alone with Lindsey"

"I thought you were ok with that" Sara said going after her lover, who was now at the dinner table. "If I knew you would get mad I would have never stopped you, you know that" she whispered hugging the blonde from her waist.

"I'm not mad" Catherine said looking to her lover's face with a smile. The smile was there since they had woken up this morning and the reason was Sara. It was Sara's first Christmas being part of the family, the Willows family and Catherine was walking in the clouds because of that. "I'm just saying that this is my task only that was the deal" the blonde kissed Sara's lips and went back to the kitchen.

Before Sara could say anything, the door bell rang.

"I'll get it" said the brunette. She walked to the door ad opened without looking through the peephole. "Hi, Nancy. Hi, Jeremy, come on in"

"Hi, Sara, I brought something for dessert"

"Thank you, but you didn't have to worry about that. Catherine is the master chef tonight"

"Isn't she always?" Sara and Nancy laughed.

"Why don't you put the presents under the tree, Jeremy, along with Lindsey's" says Sara touching the guys head. Jeremy pushed her hand away.

"Jeremy, what did I tell you would happen if you didn't behave?"

"That we were going home" he said in defeat. Nancy nodded. "I'm sorry" he says looking at Sara.

"It's ok, Jeremy, it was my bad. I promise I won't do that again, ok? You have my word" Jeremy nodded with a shy smile and went to the tree.

"Lately he is being very aggressive and I didn't know what else to do" Nancy explains walking in the house.

"I'm sure if we talk to him and try to explain everything he will understand. He is a smart kid" Nancy smiled happy to Sara. It was clear that Sara cared a lot about everyone in her private circle or at work and always tried to help the best way she could even if with a fight.

"You know, Lindsey has very lucky to have a second mother like you" Nancy said honestly.

"I like to think I'm more a friend than a mother. She already has a brilliant one"

"That doesn't mean she can't have two brilliant mothers" said Catherine joining them.

"She is right, you know" said the little one.

"Hey, three against one is not fair!" said Sara trying to play cool. It meant a lot to her to hear those words, especially on a special night like tonight. Catherine knew that and planted a kiss on the brunette's cheeks before going to answer the door again.

Slowly everyone got there. Catherine's mom which was a great surprise, Warrick with his wife, Nick brought his new girlfriend named Alice and Greg and Grissom came alone, but they seemed just fine with it. Even Brass managed to show up when he was on duty.

The party went along with everyone having a great time. They talked about anything and nothing and enjoyed the marvelous food Catherine had prepared

"I have a surprise for you" whispered Catherine in Sara's ear.

"You do? But I told you I didn't need any gifts tonight"

"That doesn't mean people or I didn't buy one. But I was talking about not a commercial gift, come" Catherine pushed Sara away from the crew to the front door.

"Is it that big that it doesn't fit in the house?" Sara played.

"Wait and see" Catherine opened the door and Sara stepped out. Resting in the car in front of the house and under the lamp that lit the road was no one other then Sara's brother.

Sara felt a lump form in her throat and she looked at Catherine with both apprehension and love. Part of her always wanted to be with him again after what happen with their parents, but another feared she couldn't forgive him for abandoning her.

"He wanted to come and see you" Catherine whispered answering Sara's silent question.

"How did he find me?"

"Actually I found him. I know that no matter what happened in the past, Sara, you always loved and cared for him. I could tell by your eyes and the way you spoke about him so I did some research. He lives in Seattle now".

"For how long you guys have being talking and you didn't tell me?" asked her not liking the fact that Catherine had hid this from her.

"It doesn't matter, Sara. What matters is that he called me saying he wanted to come and see you. I said he could come but that it's up to you to bring him in or not and I will respect whatever decision you make tonight. Just give him a chance to explain"

"You should have told me" Sara crossed her arms in front of her body before turn and walked toward her brother, in baby steps. Adam got out of the car and gave baby steps too.

"Hi, Sara"

Catherine closed the door, feeling the tears starting to form in her eyes. She knew it was a big risk what she did but today was Christmas and everyone should be with the person they love during this time of year. Nancy got closer to her and touched her sister's shoulder. "It is him?" Catherine nodded. "Don't worry, you did the right thing" said Nancy.

"Did I? What if something goes wrong? What if she gets hurt and all because of me?" said Catherine looking through the glass between the door and the wall.

"If that happens, we'll be right here for her, every one of us. Besides, I told Nick and he is going to watch her and interfere if Adam tries anything, ok?"

"All I wanted was for her to be happy tonight"

"I know and she does to. She loves you, Cat, and she knows that you had the best intentions when searching for him. Trust me".

For what seemed like an eternity, there was no moving from the outside to the inside the cause and Catherine was starting to get really mad at herself for doing this without asking Sara first. When the front door opened again Catherine feared the worst.

Sara entered first and Catherine's eyes and hers locked. Catherine bit her lip trying not to cry. But then Adam came in, very timid. How could she have guessed that Sara's brother was so much like her? Sara introduced him to everyone and everyone welcomed him to the house. The guys from the lab started asking all about him and Sara as a kid, after all, she never had talked about it and now it was their chance to know more about her. Of course Adam wouldn't say the whole truth.

"Is he really your brother?" asked Lindsey pulling on Sara's shirt so she looked at her instead of her mother.

"Yes, Lindsey, he is"

"You never told me about him"

"The last time we talked was twenty years ago, and I didn't know where he lived until now"

"That's a long time. Didn't you try to find him before?"

"It's a long story, Linds, and someday I'll tell you, I promise. Not now, ok?"

"Ok. But we don't have any presents for him"

"I'm sure he knows that, sweetie" said Sara touching the girl's hair. The brunette looked up to Catherine but the blonde was nowhere in site. Nancy indicated the backyard with her head and then asked Lindsey where her cousin was.

"He went use my computer"

"Ok, why don't we go see what he is doing?" Lindsey nodded ok and walked upstairs with her aunt one step behind.

Sara walked through the room into the garden, not paying attention to the rest. She found Catherine closer to the pool, her back turned to the door ad arms crossed in front of her chest. She was clearly uncomfortable. "Hey"

"Hey" said Catherine looking to the ground. She couldn't dare look and see anger inside Sara's eyes. It would completely devastate her.

"He told me it's been a week since you first called him. And that he didn't know what to think or do. Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because he never said he wanted to see you until last night. I didn't want to give you any false hopes or hurt you until I knew what he would do and then... then I thought that if I was already risking a lot by doing what I did, behind your back, I should face whatever happened tonight, after it happens."

Sara walked even closer and asked softy. "If he wouldn't have called you back, would you have told me that you found him?"

Catherine thought for a moment before answering and decided that was the best to speak the truth. "I don't know. Part of me didn't want to hide this from you, but another part was more concerned about how you were going to deal with the truth"

"I see"

"All I wanted was for you to be surrounded by the ones you love, Sara, and that love you back, that's all. But maybe I made a huge mistake"

"No, you didn't" Sara said touching Catherine's hair. Catherine was so scared that she didn't even see Sara coming closer. Catherine looked at her and saw that they were both crying now.

"At first I didn't know what to think. I never said or asked you to search for him but you did it anyway" the brunette continued "But then Adam and I started talking, just talking about what we do for living, the movies we have been seen, and I realized I missed him more than I thought I did. Even the times when we fought I knew he was being an ass but that deep inside he really cared for me. I told him that and he asked for forgiveness and I did. I did forgive him because I don't like to think I was completely alone during that time"

"He told me… he did want to take you with him" Catherine said looking at Sara's eyes "before and after the episode, but he was scared of what your parents would do and how he would raise you. He thought you would be best without him"

"I thought that too. Until now" Catherine bit her lip, wiping her tears with the top of her hand.

"So, you two will be talking again?" she asked really hoping they would

"Yes. We will talk about everything and be honest with each other, no matter what, and maybe things will be ok between us"

"That's good, really good" said Catherine wiping again her tears. She couldn't stop them from falling, no matter how much she tried. Sara touched the blonde's face and Catherine closed her eyes, feeling the warm heat from the brunette's hand "Don't you want to kill me?"

"No, I don't" Sara softly answered

"You still love me, even if I am completely crazy?"

"Yes"

"You are truly happy?"

"Yes"

"And you want your present?"

"Catherine, shut up and kiss me, will you" How could Catherine even think about that, after all, Sara was standing there, wasn't she? A smirk appeared on the blonde's lips and she considered doing or not. But Sara didn't give a damn which one started the kiss so she pulled Catherine's face toward hers.

As their lips met, both felt an electric volt run throw their veins. Sara pulled their bodies closer as Catherine's hand touched Sara's soft hair. Soon they were both fighting for dominance as the love spoke louder. If what they feel isn't love, then what is love?

They broke apart when they heard a loud cough behind them.

"I don't know if you noticed but we'er in the middle of something here" said Sara looking to Adam.

"And we would really like to continue, so go away" continued the blonde locking their lips together.

"I bet" said Adam pushing Sara away from Catherine.

"Hey" the both shouted.

"Believe me, I know how great it is kissing the one you are madly in love with, but there are other people in this house that would like to have their presents instead of watching you two making love without using your hands." Catherine and Sara both looked to the house and everyone else was looking at them. Catherine laughed and hid behind Sara.

"I think we better go" said the brunette when Catherine didn't move.

"I know, but I don't wanna go"

"Me neither, but we have all the time in the world for this now, don't we?"

"Are you saying you are going to get married?" asks Adam thinking this was some kind of joke, just like he thought in the past.

"As in matter fact, I am. Catherine and I are going to get married in three months"

"What? You two were engaged and you didn't tell us?" asks Nick.

"I knew"

"But you're her sister so of course you knew" tells Greg.

"She told me" says Grissom. All the csi's looked at him with anger.

"Thanks, Gris" Sara mumbled. Catherine was staring at her lover with both hands on her hips wanting some explanation.

"I… had to convince him that I had a good reason for both of us take some time off and go to the stud farm so I told him. It was not like he would say anything. Like he didn't"

"I can't believe you told him before you even proposed to me" Catherine said hitting Sara's arm. "And you hid that from me"

"I guess we are even then" Sara smirked trying to deplete Catherine's anger. Catherine smiled big and kissed the brunette.

"I love you" she said.

"So, where are you girls planning on going for the honeymoon?" asked Warrick's wife.

"Venetia and Paris" answered Catherine.

"Excellent choice" she responded.

"I only asked you to come and get them not to everyone come here" said Lindsey to Adam putting both hands on her hips. Everyone exchanged looks before they started laughing, leaving Lindsey very confused. She was in the bathroom and didn't see what happened. Sara kissed the blonde once before going to Lindsey.

"Come, if they don't want to get their present fine, but I want mine!"

"Finally!" the girls shouted. The rest of the guys went inside leaving Catherine and Adam alone.

"Thank you for coming, Adam"

"Thank you, for calling and insisting it. I failed with her a lot and I thought she wouldn't forgive me. I guess I underestimated her again, didn't I?" Catherine could only nod "Anyway, it's good to see her happy now, truly happy"

"I hope you can be part of our life now"

"I won't move to Vegas, but I promise to keep in touch and visit you guys every time I can"

"Perfect. Now let's go, there is a gift for you under the tree"

"A gift, for me? But you don't even know me"

"That's never stopped me from buying anything before, and stop acting like your sister!"

"What can I say, it's in the blood"

"Whatever"

Catherine smiled at Sara and grab her hand so they could go back to the house along with every one else. Sara couldn't help but feel the luckist woman on earth for having such an amazing creature with her, and foverer. And that Christmas was the best Christmas ever.

**The end**

**Sorry about the lame end but i had to finish it some how. hahahaha. **

**Please review!**


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